Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has charged the newly sworn in head of service, permanent secretaries, as well as chairman and commissioners of the FCT Civil Service Commission, to be committed and loyal to higher authority, and that they owed it to President Bola Tinubu, to make sure that Abuja works. This is even as he warned them to perform or be sacked.
Wike made this known in Abuja yesterday during the swearing-in ceremony of the officials, where the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, represented by Justice Sylvanus Oriji, administered oaths of office, and oaths of allegiance to the appointees.
LEADERSHIP had reported that President Bola Tinubu, approved the appointment of the officials, as disclosed in a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Anthony Ogunleye, following his approval for the establishment of the FCT Civil Service Commission, in October 2023.
The minister in his address during the swearing in ceremony, described the occasion as a memorable day for the FCT, urging the new appointees to support the government of President Tinubu in realising the Renewed Hope Agenda.
He also cautioned the newly sworn in permanent secretaries against performing below expectation, and undue delay of files, adding that there would be no issuance of queries for non-performance, but immediate dismissal.
“First of all, we want to thank his Excellency, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, who has showed leadership and made sure that the 2018 Act has been implemented. Prior to this period it was difficult for any staff to be a permanent secretary.
“If you perform below expectations there is nothing like query, we have no time for that, we will just send you packing as permanent secretary. So, I do not want to hear any complaints now that you will be handling secretariat, you have your secretaries as your political heads. I do not want to hear that files are unduly delayed.
“Just recently, we found out the person that was sabotaging the job of the FCTA, but we thank God all those bad people have all left. All those who do not want you to be independent they have all left.
“Please, we want you to assist and support the government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to realize the Renewed Hope Agenda. So, you owe Mr. President to make sure that Abuja works and work very well. We do not know the secretariat you all will be posted to, wherever you are posted, what we require from you is commitment and total loyalty,” he said.
Wike, in recognition of Satellite Towns Development (STD), said that this is the first time the FCTA as an administration is taking development to the area councils, saying that President Tinubu has mandated that as they provide infrastructure in the city, they must also provide infrastructure in the area councils.
“So, you all owe us a duty to supervise and report of what is going on in the STD. It is very important, the man in-charge of the municipal government council, you know your own is not problematic, because all of us are in the city, you should make sure that the street lights are working, and also sanitation should be done very well. You should make sure that public buildings should all be repaired.
“Last night, I went round and I saw areas where they were no streets lights and then, I asked myself that why am I signing streets light payment every time, when they are not working? So, you have to make sure that before you bring in any paper, you have to make sure that all those streets lights are working,” he said.
