FG STOPS PERMANENT OFFICIAL VEHICLES FOR BOARD CHAIRMEN

Federal Government on Thursday stopped the usually permanent official cars and residences for chairmen of Boards of federal parastatals and Agencies.

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga announced this while inaugurating the Boards under the Ministry. Also, he warned that Board members should desist from interfering in day-to-day running of the Parastatals and Agencies.

Inaugurating the Boards, Aganga who was represented by the Minister of State, Dr. Samuel Ortom, said, “I must stress at this juncture, that no Chairman or board member is entitled to an official vehicle on permanent basis. Same goes for office or residential accommodation. In addition, you are enjoined to comply with the provisions of extant
circulars governing your tenure/appointment, especially circular No. 

SWC/S/04/S.310/105, dated 10th June, 2010 issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, which specified your allowances and frequency of meetings”.

Further, he said, “Boards of Parastatals are responsible for setting out broad economic, financial, operational administrative guidelines and targets for their various agencies. They are concerned with policy issues, monitoring of institutional projects/programmes and ensuring that the parastatal’s mandates are realized.

“You are therefore enjoined to adhere strictly to the provisions of the enabling Acts of your agencies as well as financial regulations and guidelines on administrative procedures. While congratulating you on your well deserved appointment, may I emphasize that your appointment is on part-time basis only. As such, you are not expected to interfere or participate in the day-to-day running of your respective agencies.” 

The Boards are Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Oil and Gas Free Zone Authority (OGFZA).

The 10-member Board of CAC is led by Mr. Funsho Lawal as Chairman, while other members include Prof. Adedeji Adekunle and Dr. Ausbeth Ajagu, among others.

For the NEPC is 11-member Board, with Mrs. Grace Clark, as Chairman and Ambassador Asalina Mamuno, and Alh.Salisu Umar as members, among others. OGFZA’s 14-member board is led by Barr. Chris Asoluka, while other members include Gen. Geofrey Ejiga (retd.) and Barr. Mrs Mary Mbu, among others.

For SON, its 10-member board has Alh. Abubakar Mustapha as Chairman, with Engr. Abubakar Magaji and Mrs. Roseline Ekun as members, among others.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, said members of the newly constituted board comprised men and women of integrity, knowledge and experience in the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy.

Also Aganga said, “The Ministry and all its Parastatals share a common mandate anchored on: creating the enabling environment to stimulate domestic investment and attract foreign direct investment into all sectors of the economy and making Nigeria the most preferred investment destination; facilitating trade in goods and services and
maximizing the benefits of international trade through functional bilateral and multi-lateral trade relations with other countries. 

The ministry is also responsible for boosting industrial development and enabling Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as the engine of economic growth.

“A careful look at the composition of the various Boards shows that most of the members are not only knowledgeable and highly experienced but are also key players in their various fields in the Public and Private Sector of the economy. 

This is definitely a great advantage to the agencies concerned as they will be able to benefit, not only from the tremendous goodwill of their board members, but also from their wealth of deep knowledge.”

While acknowledging the important role of board members in formulating good policies that will drive the operations of the parastatals, the minister said they were not to interfere in the day-to-day running of their respective parastatals.

The minister, however, charged the new appointees to ensure that their activities are geared towards the actualization of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda.

Source: Compass