NEPAD Workers Protest Jonathan Assistant’s Reappointment

There was commotion at the Nigerian headquarters of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development on Tuesday as workers of the agency engaged in fisticuffs, while protesting against the alleged reappointment of the Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Mrs. Fidelia Njeze, as NEPAD’s Coordinator/Chief Executive.

The peaceful protest at the agency degenerated into fisticuffs as some of the workers loyal to Njeze tried to stop the larger number of the employees from going outside the premises of the organisation.

Our correspondent gathered that the special adviser, whose job was meant to end at the expiration of the tenure of the former President, called some directors of the agency last Thursday to announce her new portfolio as the coordinator,Punch report.

Explaining what led to the protest, an official of the agency, who spoke to our correspondent in confidence, said Njeze claimed that she was appointed the coordinator of NEPAD by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Pius Anyim.

The official said, “It is only the President of Nigeria that has the right to appoint his special adviser on NEPAD. But in this case, we saw a different title when the entire organisational structure has not been changed. If you want to have a coordinator/chief executive, then you must have the structure changed.

“But as it is now, the organisation’s structure is still the same and it is not even a parastatal but a department under the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. So, we NEPAD staff members are saying that if you want to become a chief executive, there should be enabling laws that will make it happen. You cannot change your own appointment overnight when there is a change in government.“What we are saying categorically is that President Muhammadu Buhari should appoint a special assistant on NEPAD. There is nothing like coordinator and chief executive. This organisation is not a statutory agency and there is no tenured appointment. Assistants are appointed by the President; and as a special assistant, once your boss is leaving, you leave with him.”

When asked to state who issued the re-appointment letter to Njeze, another official involved in the protest said, “The person that gave the letter to her was the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, and not the present President.”