Tension in TCN over appointment of new helmsman

*Departing MD flouts SGF’s hand over circular
*Workers threaten strike over action

Crisis is brewing in the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) over the choice of a new chief executive following the departure of the former Managing Director, Usman Gur Mohammed, who in breach of the circular by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, choose to hand over to a junior officer as against the directive to hand over to the most senior officer.

Our correspondent reports that on his expiration of term of office, Usman Mohammed handed over the running of affairs of the TCN to Lawal Maman Jimoh, the general manager, system planning and 14th in the hierarchy and in the process by-passing the most senior general manager, Tonack Ayuba Job in- change of procurement (TSP).

This action, sources within the agency said, is now generating bad blood because the decision by the former chief executive flouts a circular from the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), dated January 8, 2018, advising heads of agencies whose tenure had elapsed to comply with a circular from the SGF’s office on the order of succession pending the appointment of a substantive chief executive.

The SGF’s circular titled: “End of tenure processes for heads of extra-ministerial departments, director general, chief executive officers of parastatals, agencies, commissions and government-owned companies and succession guidelines,” directed chief executives to comply with the date of expiration of their tenure in office.

Furthermore, the circular dated December 4, 2017, states that “pending the appointment of a substantive head of extra-ministerial department/chief executive officer of parastatal, agency, commission and government-owned companies, the outgoing chief executive officer must handover to the next most senior officer of the establishment,
as long as the officer doesn’t have any pending disciplinary matter.

“Outgoing heads of extra-ministerial department/chief executive officer of parastatal, agency, commission and government-owned companies, are not allowed the discretion of choosing the officer to whom they would handover.”

But ignoring this memo from the SGF, the former chief executive was said to have opted to unilaterally handover to Jimoh, who hails from Kogi State, instead of Tonack Ayuba, who is the most senior general manager and an indigene of Kaduna State.

Documents obtained by The Daily Times indicate that while Jimoh was just promoted to the position of general manager in May 2015, Ayuba’s date of last promotion was May 2011.

Similarly, 10 other general managers who were promoted in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 were by passed by the erstwhile managing director even though they are still in service in choosing his successor.

The action by former TCN boss to choose who to handover to against explicitly stated government guidelines is not only generating tension but aggrieved workers who condemn the act of injustice have threatened to embark on strike unless the decision to make Jimoh as acting chief executive is reversed.

Most worrisome is that in an earlier circular, dated November 23, 2017, the SGF had reminded chief executive of public agencies to strictly adhere to another memo dated August 14, 2009, directing them to abide with extant laws and guidelines establishing such bodies in the spirit of the rule of law, transparency and accountability in the conduct of government business.

Also, Mustapha had on December 4, 2017, reminded ministers and principal officers of MDAs that all appointments into vacant positions of chief executives and top echelon of staff of parastatals must be guided by the various laws establishing the agencies.

He warned that such appointments “which should be without prejudice to eligible serving officers competing for these positions must be based on adherence to the principle of justice, equity and fair play.

“To ensure stability, continuity and improvement of staff morale, serving officers shall be encouraged to aspire to top positions of their establishment through effective career development and succession planning.

“Furthermore, since relevant enabling laws confer on Mr. President, the power to appoint chief executives of parastatals and in some cases the executive directors of such agencies of government, there is need for proper coordination to avoid duplication of appointments.

“In this connection, Mr. President has directed that in line with extant guidelines, requests for such appointments should always be channeled to his excellency through the SGF who will process them for approval and in turn communicate any approval to the appropriate supervising ministers.”

Attempts to reach the TCN’s acting General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs. Mean Ndidi Naomi, for comments proved abortive as she failed to respond to our numerous calls and messages sent to her mobile phone.