Crisis is brewing in the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, as the most senior director, Prince Samuel Atang, has undertaken to being addressed as “Acting Permanent Secretary,” contrary to the minister’s directive.
“The minister had in a live television programme at the flag off of Gwagwalada rural road project instructed that Mr. Samuel Attang should not be addressed as the Ag. Permanent Secretary, but the Most Senior Director having fought for the abolition of the Permanent Secretary’s office,” a civil society organisation under the aegis of Transparency and Accountability in Public Service, stated in a press statement on Wednesday, February 28 in Abuja.
National Coordinator of the group, Barrister Chidi Ejifor, alleged that Mr. Atang who has barely 27 days in the FCTA was disrupting the system by assuming a non-existent title and position so as to remain relevant in the system even after his retirement.
Ejiofor raised the alarm that a recent circular, orchestrated by Mr. Atang was made to refer to him as “Acting Permanent Secretary.”
“However, the minister’s directive runs contrary to a circular issued by the Director of Finance and Administration (DAF) in the Minister’s office, Mrs. Nancy Nathan, who informed heads of SDAs that they should address all correspondence to the Ag Permanent Secretary.”
The activist further alleged that Mr. Atang has boasted that the minister cannot function well administratively without his inputs, adding that he has been tipped to head the proposed FCT Commission.
“The Most Senior Director, with few of his ‘boys,’ are overheating the system. They are allegedly compiling list of directors particularly from certain section of the country for retirement.
“He is claiming that the directive to come up with the list of directors within two years to their retirement is from the minister, and it is one of the measures to be adopted by the administration to save money.
“The minister should be very careful with such characters because it is on record that he has issues with telling the truth. He always parade himself as the only man with institutional memories that can guide the minister on all administrative issues.”
Ejifor warned that he was ready to make documents available of self-enrichment of the director at the expense of the FCTA.