The five-year tenure of the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of NASENI, Engr. Muhammed Sani Haruna, expired on April 2, 2018. This was confirmed in his recent memo, dated April 20, 2018, where he announced to the world that the Minister for Science and Technology, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation are aware of his decision to remain in office even after the expiration of his tenure. What an indictment!
Haruna, decided to flaunt the directives of the Federal Government as convened in the circular with Ref No. SGF.50/S.II/C.2/268, dated December 4, 2017, which directed that under no circumstances should a CEO of Parastatals like NASENI stay a day longer in office when his or her tenure expires. The circular also directed that the CEO should hand over to the next most senior director in the Agency, provided such senior officer does not have pending investigative matter at hand.
Today, many Nigerians are beginning to question the collective integrity of President Muhammadu Buhari; the SGF, Boss Mustapha; Permanent Secretary; as well as the Minister for Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonaya Onu, because they have decided to treat Haruna, the NASENI boss, as a sacred cow. More than 20 days after the expiration of his tenure as NASENI boss, he still remains in office and the supervising bodies of the Federal Government of Nigeria have variably decided to embrace such illegality. They seem to have decided to support Haruna who has refused to step aside at the expiration of his tenure in office. When will this government call a spade a spade? When? This is disgusting and unacceptable.
What baffles people is that the Director of Administration and Human Resources, A. K. Hassan, has done his job by writing to inform the Presidency through the SGF of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that Haruna’s tenure has expired. This was contained in a letter with Ref No. NASENI/AD/GA/7/III/179, dated April 11, 2018. The director also wrote to inform the Perm Sec and Minister for Science and Technology. He went as far as also informing the NASENI Governing Board. But till date, everyone tends to pretend that they are still not aware. Why do we always wait for the good people of Nigeria to take laws into their hands before the government decide to do the right thing? Why? We are also informed that the members of NASU, a union in NASENI, has also gone to meet the Hon. Minister for Science and Technology in that regard but he seemed not interested in the issue as no action has been taken since then to tell Haruna to hand over power to the next most senior director, pending the appointment of substantive EVC of the Agency.
One is left to wonder what would have moved the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, to have personally written a letter to the SGF and the Minister for Science and Technology, recommending that they should join hands together to consider Haruna for a second term in office. Why would the Chief of Staff to Mr. President not even wait for letter of recommendation to come from the Ministry of Science and Technology before he takes sides?
This is unacceptable. This is not what we expect to see in the administration of His Excellency, President Buhari. This is not what we bargained for. Presidency should please call the Minister for Science and Technology and other actors in this bad drama to order. Mr. President, please do not say you are not aware of what is happening in an Agency where you are the Chairman of the Governing Board. Please, tell him to hand over power to the next most senior director in the Agency. His tenure has widely been described as a fraud! He is the worst thing that has happened to NASENI. His time in office as NASENI boss is full of propaganda.
Haruna’s initial letter of appointment as NASENI boss, which was approved by the former President Goodluck Jonathan, offered him five years in office as EVC, NASENI. The letter neither gave him automatic pass to remain in office after the expiration of his tenure nor for him to outrightly start up a new tenure. The world is watching. Mr. President, we believe in your kind of person. Please be informed of these abnormalities.
It is alluded that Haruna is afraid to leave office because of his fears that he will be nailed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, when investigated. No wonder, he wants to make sure he secures Mr. President’s approval for another tenure of five years by all means. If the Presidency gives him such further opportunity, it will be a confirmation that something is irreparably and truly wrong with this nation. If Haruna is given another tenure of expression of mediocrity, then Nigeria is a place where a sick dog kills a vibrant lion. A place of shame!
Finally, this is a call to the Presidency to do the right thing, soonest. Citizens should not be forced to take laws into their hands in order to ensure that the right thing is done before the government acts. We believe so much in the integrity of Mr. President. Please, call the SGF, Minister for Science and Technology, Perm Sec of the ministry of Science and Technology and Haruna to order. Tell them to be the good Nigerians we thought them to have been.
. Nonso writes from harunamuhammed@yandex.com.
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