Four months after management boards of Nigeria’s 12 Nigerian River Basin Development Authorities were announced, there is no indication when they will get letters of appointment.
Sources said the non-resumption of the officers have reduced the threshold for good governance and financial accountability at the organisations.
Specifically, it is believed that the non-release of the letters has paved way for officials of the Ministry of Water Resources to remotely run these organizations.
A source alleged that the Managing Directors of the Authorities have been instructed to split jobs into pieces to fall within the MD’s approval limit, out of which they were to select 70% for contractors nominated by the Office of the Minister and they can share the rest with the Directors.
The source said this arrangement is likely to be the main item of discussion at a meeting to be held in Abuja on Monday between officials of the Ministry and heads of the RBDAs.
A copy of the letter summoning the Managing Directors of the Authorities by the Minister of Water Resources also invited the Heads of procurement, as well as Finance and Administration.
The letter, dated 21st March 2025, reads:
“To All Managing Directors, RBDAs
Invitation to the Honourable Minister
I am directed to invite the Managing Directors/officers overseeing offices of the Managing Directors of the 12 River Basin Development Agencies (RBDAs) to a meeting with the Honourable Minister. The meeting is to discuss crucial issues bordering on the 2025 Appropriation Act and other sundry issues affecting the RBDAs.
“Accordingly, you are to be accompanied by the Head of procurement and Finance and Administration Department of your RBDAs. The meeting is scheduled to hold as follows: Monday, March 24, Ministry Conference Hall by 2pm.”
It was signed by Engr Christy O. Oduh, Director Rivers Basins Operations and inspectorate.
Efforts to get the Ministry’s reaction regarding details of the meeting were unsuccessful.
Recently, an APC chieftain, Okuwole Komolafe told the Sun newspaper that the non-release of the appointment letter to FG appointed management teams amounted to undermining the power of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who approved the appointment, adding that this does not augur well for polity.
“It will also be unfair and unjust for anybody to sit on the appointment letters ,which was supposed to have been given out to respective people at this material time,” he said.
Komolafe further disclosed that these officials, who were appointed on December 18, 2024, have now wasted months waiting to formally assume their roles so as to enable them to contribute to the Renewed Hopes of President Tinubu’ s agenda.
Komolafe recalled that many of these people had travelled long distance from their respective states to inquire from the office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Abuja on why their letters of appointments were not released, but they have not gotten favourable feedback.
It is worthy nothing that the office of the SGF has itself been rocked by a corruption scandal.
This has led to an ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission involving Hon. Andrew Torhile Uchi, Personal Assistant to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation bothering on allegations of corruption, bribery, and money laundering running into billions of naira.
The OSGF, in a statement by his spokesman Seun Imohiosen, distanced himself from the scandal.
The SGF “Office leadership is not in any way involved in the alleged misconduct as it has always maintained a strong commitment to transparency , accountability, and integrity
We recognize the efforts of the EFCC on this matter to ensure that those found culpable are held accountable”, the statement said.
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