SOME concerned senior deputy directors of the Bureau of Public Enterprises have petitioned Vice-President Kashim Shettima amid growing disquiet over what they described as an “unpopular and obnoxious” promotion exercise in the agency.
In the petition obtained by News Point Nigeria and addressed to Shettima, who also chairs the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), the aggrieved officials alleged that the promotion of two deputy directors to directors violated extant public service rules as well as the BPE staff manual.
According to the petitioners, the NCP, during its meeting on April 23, 2025, approved the appointment of “Saratu Gafai and Grace Ben-Okezie as directors in the bureau.”
The officials stated that the promoted officers became deputy directors in January 2021 and January 2024 respectively, while at least nine senior deputy directors had remained on the same grade level for over 11 years.
They further argued that the newly promoted directors had, at different times, “served under these senior deputy directors, who at one time or the other acted as directors of departments, and two (2) senior deputy directors were promoted to acting directors in their respective departments.”
“One would have expected that they be considered for confirmation as Directors,” the petition read.
“It is therefore, very sad, demoralizing, appalling and unfair by any standard, for the NCP to consider and approve the promotion of these very Junior Deputy Directors over and above their seniors without following due process on the extant Public Service Rules or Circulars by the Head of Service of the Federation (Section 020802 (d) or even the BE Staff Manual (Section 6) or any other relevant Federal Government circulars regarding promotion, and there is no moral justification for such decision.
“Accordingly, appointments for Directorship position in the public/civil service establishments should be based on certain criteria in accordance with the public/civil service rules and in line with extant public service rules and procedures of the Federal Government of Nigeria and not based on ‘whom you know’.
“What we have this time is a gross violation of due process (with impunity) by an Agency that claims to be a Reform Agency of the FGN and brands itself as ‘Reforming Responsibly’.
“Your Excellency Sir, prior to this unpopular and obnoxious promotion exercise, Directors in the Bureau were promoted based on Seniority, Experience, Character, Merit and Geopolitical Balance.”
The petitioners also noted that before the latest appointments, the north-east and south-west geopolitical zones each had two directors in the bureau, while the north-west, north-central, south-south and south-east had none.
They explained that they had expected two acting directors from the north-west and north-central zones to be confirmed as substantive directors to represent their zones, but said “the expectation was dashed for whatever reason.”
The aggrieved officials further claimed that one director, two deputy directors, an assistant director and several other staff members had resigned from the bureau within the past year due to stagnation in career progression.
According to them, another senior deputy director also resigned in protest against the latest promotion exercise.
“Already, there is tension in the Bureau. For whatever reason, intent or guise, promoting junior officers over their seniors in the same organization has a negative impact on the psyche of the workforce in terms of low morale and career progression,” the deputy directors stated.
The officials appealed to the Vice-President to intervene by suspending the appointments and directing the BPE management to comply strictly with due process in line with extant Public Service Rules and circulars issued by the Head of Service of the Federation.
“Re-instate the Ag. Directors or/and possibly confirm them on their Jobs,” the petition stated.
“Revert to existing rules in the BPE, whereby Directors’ Promotion is based on Seniority, Competence, Merit and Geopolitical Zones represented by the most Senior Qualified Deputy Director, without contravening the Extant PSR and Civil Service Rule (CSR).”
Copies of the petition were reportedly sent to the Director-General of the BPE, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), and the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
As of the time of filing this report, the BPE had not responded to requests for comments or enquiries regarding the allegations raised in the petition.