Group tackles critics for faulting NEDC board reconstitution by FG
Samuel Luka, Bauchi
A group known as North East Development Agenda (NEDA) has insisted that the reconstitution of the management board of the North East Development Commission (NEDC) did not violate any of the Commission’s guidelines as erroneously put by some critics.
Chairman of the group, Alhaji Salihu Magaji who made this known while addressing a press conference at Hazibal hotel on Monday in Bauchi, condemned the assertions that the reappointment of the NEDC board members did not follow due process.
“The truth of the matter is, their appointment is meritorious and it follows due process as stipulated in the gazetted laws of the commission”, Magaji further said.
Magaji who described the reports as mischievous allegations, observed that the hue and cry emanating from certain quarters regarding the recent reappointment of board members by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu followed due process and didnt violated the laws that established the commission.
“So, to us, that hue and cry was not unnecessary and mischievious.Their appointment is in consonance with an existing gazetted laws that established the commission”, Magaji noted.
He said that the law establishing the commission has made it clear that the Chairman and other members of the Board shall be persons of proven integrity and ability who must be appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Senate.
“Article 3, said “Subject to the provisions of section 4 of this Act, a member of the Board other than an ex-officio member, shall hold office for a term of 4 years at the first instance and may be re-appointed for another term of 4 years and no more”, the group said.
Magaji further insisted that, “there is no law that said the board members should not be on the position Mr President appointed him. there is no where in the law that said they should not be re-appointed on their position”.
The Chairman said that the reappointment of Major General Paul Tarfa, Goni Mohammed Alkali and other executive Directors followed due process, adding that no section of the law that forbids the president from reappointing them on same position as well as the senate from confirming their reappointment.
According to him, those barking are the people that are being sponsored by the enemies of the commission and enemies of progress of North East.
“They are people who want to hold on to power by all means not by merit, the sponsors of these petitions are all out to see if they may derail the good intensions of the President.
Magaji who called on the entire people of the Northeast to give maximum support to management of the commission Goni Mohammed Alkali.
He said that the NEDC is still very much focused which must be supported genuinely by all to ensure its continued progress.
“Presently, we are satisfied with the activities of the Commission in solving the problems bedeviling the sub-region, because they are driven by the progress of the North East region. We will not support entitlement mentality. It is not just about doing what is good but doing what is right”, the group warned.
Magaji said the board as an interventionist agency, knows that the Commission has a responsibility which is to cater for the welfare of the people and are always doing their job well.
