THERE is growing tension among 72 appointees of the Executive Management of 12 River Basin Development Authorities over the inexplicable delay by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to issue them their appointments letters in line with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The development comes three months after the President officially announced their appointments and gave an order for the release of their appointment letters.
This newspaper gathered that the prolong delay has made the caretaker officials overseeing the 12 River Basin Development Authorities to remain sit-tight in their respective positions.
One of the appointees, who pleaded anonymity because he has not been authorised to speak on the development, told our correspondent that no explanation had been offered by the SGF office over the non-issuance of appointment letters since December 18, 2024.
“It’s sad that three months after the President pronounced our appointments, we have been left in the cold. There is no explanation from the SGF who is supposed to issue our letters of appointments.
“We can’t access the SGF as we speak. There is no single word from him,” he lamented.
Another appointee, who didn’t want to be mentioned, vented his frustration to our correspondent.
He said, “The entire thing is confusing. We have a mandate to contribute to the actualisation of the renewed Hope Agenda of Mr President in the agricultural sector.
“But here we are waiting endlessly to hit the ground running.”
Efforts to reach the Presidential Spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga and Akume’s media aide, Chris Tarka for reactions were unsuccessful.
However, a highly placed source in the presidency told this newspaper that the non-issuance of appointment letters was deliberate.
“What happened is that those appointments are political positions. But some states complained about the appointees and I think they protested to the SGF. So the presidency has been restrategising on how to go about it.
“That’s what is delaying it. It is a case of some persons being appointed, I think from the North that is different from the names of nominees submitted. There are similar cases like that in other River Basin Authorities.
“So they need to resolve these issues. I think that is actually where the problem lies,” the government source explained.
Recall President Tinubu had charged the appointees to use their wealth of experience to bolster the efficiency of the organisations, in line with the administration’s commitment to bettering the lives of citizens.
In Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority which has Kano, Jigawa and Bauchi as coverage areas, six new officials were engaged.
They included Mamman Aliyu – Chairman (Jigawa), Rabiu Bichi – Managing Director (Kano), Tijjani Isa – Executive Director, Planning and Design (Jigawa), Zainab Gamawa – Executive Director Agric Services (Bauchi), Baffa Abdulkadir – Executive Director, Engineering (Kano) and Musa Kwankwaso – Executive Director Finance (Kano)
Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority has six new appointees namely Odebunmi Olusegun – Chairman (Oyo), Dr Adedeji Ashiru – Managing Director (Osun), Ayo Oyalowo – Executive Director, Finance (Oyo), Dokunmu Oyekunle – Executive Director, Planning and Design (Ogun), Suleiman Oris – Executive Director, Agric Services (Lagos) and Julius Oloro – Executive Director, Engineering (Lagos)
Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority equally has six, which include Sanusi Babantanko – Chairman (Bauchi), Samuel Mahmud Mohammed – Managing Director (Taraba), Usman Bakare – Executive Director, Engineering (Taraba), Ibrahim Jalo – Executive Director Finance (Gombe), Isa Matori – Executive Director, Planning and Design (Bauchi) and Hamman Dikko – Executive Director, Agric Services (Adamawa)
Chad Basin Development Authority has Prof. Abdu Dauda – Chairman (Borno), Tijjani Tumsa – Managing Director (Yobe), Bashir Baale – Executive Director, Finance (Yobe), lliyasu Muazu – Executive Director, Agric Services (Adamawa), Mohammed Shetima – Executive Director, Engineering (Borno) and Vrati Nzonzo – Executive Director, Planning and Design (Borno).
Other River Basin Authorities include Benin-Owena with six appointees, Niger Delta (six), Upper Niger River (six), Lower Niger (six), Lower Benue (six), Anambra-Imo Basin with six, Cross River Basin (six) and Sokoto Rima Basin also with six executives.