A civil society organisation, Governance Monitor Initiative (GMI), has urged President Bola Ahmad Tinubu to urgently redeploy the permanent secretary in the ministry of works, Mahmuda Mamman, for sabotaging efforts to radically change the tide of things in line with the administration’s resolve to implement new reforms.
According to the CSO, Mamman’s continued stay in the ministry is counterproductive to the implementation of the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja, programme manager of GMI, Frank Chigozie, accused the permanent secretary of deliberately frustrating efforts to move the country’s infrastructure development forward.
He alleged that because of the perm sec’s attitude which is a clear sabotage, the contractors handling work on flood control have abandoned sites.
Chigozie said the GMI was not surprised because Mahmud worked assiduously for the victory of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, at the 2023 presidential polls.
“So, we view everything he is doing now, including stalling progress of government processes by being selective on the files he treats, as a deliberate act of sabotage with a view to ensuring that the present administration fails”
The CSO alleged that rather than give files expeditious treatment so as to further hasten the process of service delivery, the perm secretary delays treatment of files without reasons and has succeeded through his nonchalant attitude, to stalling many critical activities in the ministry including payment of contractors.
The CSO alleged that the permanent secretary worked in conjunction with the Aso Rock cabal who under immediate past president, Muhammadu Buhari, in the bid effortlessly to frustrate the election of Tinubu in the February 25 presidential poll.
Chigozie added that Mamman has also been causing confusion in the ministry of Works by stripping some directors of their official schedules.
“And whenever issues are raised about his high-handedness, he (perm sec) brags about his good relationship with the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs Folashade Yemi-Esan,” he alleged.
It would be recalled that the perm secretary was redeployed to the ministry in June 2023, and when he assumed office in the ministry, he assured the staff that he would run an open administration.
“We are going to run an open government, an open administration so that we can achieve what we are supposed to achieve.
“You are the professionals, I am here to rely on your advice, guidance and directions for us to do what we are supposed to do but I can assure you that I am a team player and we are going to run an inclusive administration” he added, in a June 2023 statement issued by Blessing Lere-Adams, director of press in the ministry.
Lere-Adams said the perm secretary told the management staff that he is going to rely on their professional advice and support so that critical decisions can be taken to move the country’s infrastructural development forward.
But GMI said the perm sec has not acted in line with the pledge he made when he assumed office.
Accusing him of playing barefaced politics, the CSO said, “He is from Yobe and go and find out which party won his state then you will appreciate clearly what we are telling Nigerians. The man is on a mission to sabotage BAT”.
But when contacted, the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing which promised that it will respond after obtaining approval later called to say that it is a vague accusation and that the ministry won’t respond to unauthenticated allegations.
The director of press in the ministry, Blessing Lere-Adams, noted that there are two things that she observed in the accusation. That firstly, there is no signature of anybody who is writing the petition and secondly, no date on it. So, she is going to drop it.
“I’m sorry, the petition must be authenticated by these: an identifiable address date/reference well endorsed with a name/mobile number inclusive. Only then it can be attended to. Please note!!!” she said.
