The Federal Government says already existing civil service laws will be invoked to ensure that the executive orders signed by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo last Friday are followed to the letter.
Government also intends to work on changing the orientation of Nigerians, Presidential Media Aide, Laolu Akande said during a midterm press briefing to commemorate the second anniversary of the Buhari administration.
Briefing alongside Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu, Akande noted that since the orders will be driven mostly by officials of the Ministries Departments and Agencies of the government, the existing laws would be met with sanctions if anyone tried to go against the orders.
Already, Acting President Osinbajo will on Wednesday meet with about 2,000 public and civil servants to interact and ensure they understand the role they play in the implementation of the orders.
“There are rules in the civil service and these rules will be invoked if anyone tries to go against the orders.
“The Acting President is meeting with 2,000 public and civil servants who will be in charge of the implementation. To ensure that the orders
work, we want to change the orientation of Nigerians,” Akande said, adding that Nigerians need to understand that it is the duty of everyone to ensure the improvement of the Nigerian business environment.
The newly signed executive order calls for transparency in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government of Nigeria. It also deals with government agencies budgeting and expenditure procedures, a new visa regime that reviews entry experience of visitors and travellers, as well as port operations that under the order will now run for 24 hours.
Meanwhile, more than one month after the sack of the Director-General of the National Pension’s Commission (PenCom), Chinelo Anohu-Amazu and appointment of a replacement, Dikko Aliyu Abdulrahman and his subsequent rejection by the Senate, the government is yet to pick a replacement.
Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adesina told newsmen at the briefing that the matter is still being looked into, describing it as a developing story.
“It is a developing story and it is being looked at. No name has been transmitted to the Senate for now and that tells you the matter is still being looked at”.
On April 13, President Muhammadu Buhari fired heads of 22 parastatals, including Pencom, and announced Abdulrahman as the new director-general of Pencom, subject to the Senate’s confirmation.
The President also appointed Funso Doherty as chairman of Pencom Board, as well as Akin Akinwale, Abubakar Zaki Magawata, Ben Oviosun and Nyerere Ayim as executive commissioners.
The appointment of the new PenCOm DG is a breach of the provisions of the Pension Reform Act, 2014 that provides that the nominee for the position of the chairman or director-general of Pencom cannot be a shareholder or staff of any Pension Fund Administrator (PFA), within three years before or after his or her appointment.
Section 21 (2) of the Act also states that in the event of a vacancy (for the chairman, DG or other members of board), the President shall appoint a replacement from the geo-political zone of the immediate past member that vacated the office to complete the remaining tenure.
According to the Pensions Act, the Commission’s DG is entitled to five years tenure of office, subject to renewal for another term in office. The sacked DG was appointed in 2014 even though she was in charge of the agency in acting capacity from December 2012.
Abdulraham, the nominated DG, is from the North-West geopolitical zone, while the former DG is from Anambra State, South East Nigeria.
The sacked PenCom DG was reputed to have increased pension assets from N2.9 trillion in 2012 to N6.7 trillion in 2017 and the Retirement Savings Account from N5.39 million to N7.2 million.
Elizabeth Archibong
