Confusion as 2 acting DGs operate at NPC There is confusion at the National Population Commission headquarters in Abuja as two Acting Directors General Mr Halilu Pai and Dr. Taiwo Oyebanji lay claim to the position. Mr. Pai who is billed to retire from service on August 1 took over as Acting DG from the former Director General Mr Jasmin Zubema in April 2013 as directed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Daily Trust learnt. But no sooner had Mr Pai settled down than he was said to have disagreed on some official matters with Mr Festus Odimegwu, chairman of the commission. The chairman was said to have accused the acting DG of instigating some commissioners to work at cross-purposes with him. In view of this the chairman asked Pai to proceed on retirement leave from June 1, but the Ag. DG who had already notified the SGF his retirement insisted that he had no unspent leave; therefore would stay in office until his retirement date. However, the chairman issued a circular appointing Dr. Tayo Oyebanji as Acting DG at the close of work on Monday. Dr Oyebanji was until Monday the Secretary of the Commission, a position which is the equivalent of a director. Prior to Monday, the office of the Head of Service had intervened in a letter dated July 3 and signed by Kahinde Adeyemi, the Director Organisation, Design and Development, clarifying that Mr Pai could remain in office until his retirement on August 1. The letter reads in part: “I am to further state that the Ag. Director General of the commission who has given the mandatory three months notice to retire from service is eligible to continue in service till the terminal date of retirement.” But the chairman issued a counter circular saying, “For the avoidance of doubt my prvious directive on the subject matter [Terminal Leave of Acting Director General] has not been vacated. I am aware that the terminal leave is optional for officers who have spent 35 years in service or have attained 60 years of age and I therefore do not require any clarification on the matter.” The circular said the acting DG was “engaged in actions inimical to the interest of the commission”, but rather than initiate disciplinary measures against him, “I directed him to proceed on leave...” In the ensuing disagreement with Mr Pai, the chairman instructed that no file should be minuted to him, a situation which affected the release of funds for recurrent expenditure, a source at the chairman’s office said told Daily Trust. “Since the Ag DG is the accounting officer and no money can be released without his approval, it means that even if our generator fuel is finished today, we will remain in darkness unless PHCN brings light,” the source said. Extant laws provide that an outgoing DG should hand over to the most senior director in the commission pending the appointment of a substantive DG by Mr President in accordance with the enabling law of the commission, Daily Trust learnt. “So even if Halilu Pai is to go, he is expected to hand over to the most senior civil servant,” a senior officer at the commission. Efforts to obtain reaction from the commission on the imbroglio did not succeed at press time. Spokesman of the commission Simon Otene said only the chairman would respond to this and other issues raised. A questionnaire sent to the chairman on the spokesman’s request had not been responded to.
Posted on: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 07:07:48 +0000
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