From Mohammed Nasir Shuaibu BAUCHI
The North East Development Agenda NEDA have come out to correct the mischievious allegations in a section of the media that the reappointment of the North East Development Commission NEDC Board Members did not follow due process, but the thruth of the matter their appointment is meritorious and it follows due process as stipulated in the gazetted laws of the commission.
The Chairman of the group Alhaji Salihu Magaji stated this today in Bauchi when he addressed a Press conference at Hazibal Hotel conference hall, he said “NEDA observed that the hue and cry emanating from certain quarters regarding the recent reappointment made by President Bola Ahmad Tinubu to reappoint the Board Members followed due process and didnt violated the laws that established the commission for that the hue and cry was not necessary and mischievious.
Their appointment is in consonance with an existing gazetted laws that established the commissionOn the appointment of board members the law no 5 says “The Chairman and other members of the Board shall be persons of proven integrity and ability,and they most be appointed by the President, subject to confirmation by the Senate”.
Article 3, said “Subject to the provisions of section 4 of this Act, a member of the Board other than an ex-officio member, shall hold office for a term of 4 years at the first instance and may be re-appointed for another term of 4 years and no more”. Here the constitution is specific.
On the issue of rotation may arise when new board members are appointed” because there is no law that said the board members should not be on the position mr President appointed him” there is no where in the law that said they should not be reapppinted on their position.
Chairman said the reappointment Of Major General Paul Tarfa , Goni Mohammed Alkali and other executive Directors follow due process and there is no law that stop the President from reappointing them on same position and no law stop senate from confirming their reappointment.
He said the people barking were sponsored by the enemies of the commission, enemies of progress of North East , people who want to hold on to power by all means not by merit, the sponsored of these petitions are all out to see if they may derail the good intensions of the President, lets make it boldly we in the North East? We will not be in support of persons with questionable characters whom have shown tendencies capable of eroding trust to be handed such an important interventionist agency.
“Therefore we enjoin all our people to give maximum support to the direction the commission is headed under the able leadership of Goni Mohammed Alkali. “with the reappointment of Alkali and other Board members ,There is no doubt that the NEDC is still very much focused and we must only support genuine effort and clear processes that will lead to the aspiration of our people”,
The presently we are satisfied the Commission, is doing the right thing in solving the problems bedevilled the region, because they are driven by the progress of the North East region going forward. We will not support entitlement mentality. It is not just about doing what is good but doing what is right.”
Magaji said the board as an interventionist agency, knows that the Commission had a responsibility to cater for the welfare of the people and they always intervene to provide the needed succour to ameliorate the sufferings of the people and they are doing their best.
He said immediately after they were appointed they know Mr President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Vice President Kashim.Shettima are concerned with the well being of the citizens, they mobilised 15bn parliatives to the Six North Eastern State.
