Workers of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), have kicked the deployment of a Permanent Secretary (PS) for the FCTA by the Head of Service of the Federation.
The workers under the Joint Unions Action Committee (JUAC), who staged a protest in Abuja on Monday called for the full implementation of the existing FCT Civil Service Service (CSC) Law, 2018 which provides for the appointment of a Permanent Secretary from the FCT Administration.
The Office of the Head of Service of the Federation had announced President Bola Tinubu’s approval for the posting of 24 permanent secretaries in Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Among the affected PSs is Dr Magdalene Ajani, who was redeployed from the Transportation Ministry to the FCTA to replace the current PS, Mr Olusade Adesola, who would retire on Jan. 29.
But, JUAC President, Mr Matilukuro Korede, who spoke on behalf of the workers described the deployment as an aberration of the FCT CSC Law.
Korede recalls that the Federal Executive Council had in October 2023, approved the implementation of the law establishing a CSC for FCT.
Recalls that the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike had in October 2023, announced President Tinubu’s approval for the establishment of CSC for the FCT.
Wike had explained that the development would allow career progression for civil servants in the FCT Administration to become permanent secretaries, who before now could only get to the position of a director.
He explained that the directors could not get to the peak of their careers because there was no CSC for FCT.
JUAC president, therefore, described the action of the Head of Service as faulty, and called for the full implementation of the FCT CSC Law.
“On Thursday, we heard that the head of service has announced that she has gotten approval from President Tinubu to deploy another Permanent Secretary to FCT.
“We felt aggrieved because it is an aberration. As we speak now, the FCT CSC Law has been gazetted since 2018,” he said.
He said that since 2004, the staff of FCTA had been deprived of becoming permanent secretaries, adding that the law to make it possible was signed in 2018 but implementation became a problem.
He said that Wike took the issue and within a month, secured President Tinubu’s approval for the implementation of the law.
“But to our surprise, the Head of Service decided to include a name for appointment as permanent secretary for the FCT.
“As far as FCT is concerned, the permanent secretary should be appointed among the qualified directors in the FCTA and not from outside.”
He later assured the protesting workers that Wike had reached out to the leadership of JUAC and asked them to be calm, adding that the minister promised to meet with President Tinubu over the issue and would get back to them.