Personnel from agencies under the Presidency have expressed concerns about the oversight visits being undertaken by the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
In separate interviews with Daily Trust, they argued that such an oversight is traditionally the responsibility of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the National Assembly.
On August 22, Gbajabiamila began the “fact-finding exercises and familiarisation tours”, which have seen him conduct on-the-site assessments of key agencies under the Presidency.
The agencies he has so far visited include the National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA), the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI).
Others are the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Hajj Commission (NAHCON).
Daily Trust reliably gathered that prior to the Chief of Staff’s visits, heads of the agencies had been summoned to a meeting with the Permanent Secretary of the State House on July 30, where they were briefed on what to expect during these visits.
The chief executives of the agencies were said to have been told that the visits were part of a broader initiative to ensure the agencies adhere strictly to the established regulations and guidelines, including the Public Service Rules (PSR), which govern employments, promotions, and other administrative guidelines.
They were, according to sources, also cautioned against carrying out employments without securing “appropriate waivers”, and that when such waivers were obtained, the recruitment process must not jeopardise the career progression of existing officers.
They were also said to have been instructed that all promotions, conversions, upgrading, and discipline matters for 2024 must be concluded not later than the end of this month.
Additionally, they were directed to strictly adhere to procurement regulations and thresholds to avoid any infractions and the attendant consequences.
The CEOs were also directed to ensure their agencies’ activities comply with all relevant laws and regulations, particularly in the areas of financial management, procurement and human resources.
Ahead of Gbajabiamila’s visits, they had been asked to prepare a 15-minute presentation each, outlining their respective agencies’ mandates, achievements, challenges and future plans.
The presentations were being followed by interactive sessions with their management staff, during which the Chief of Staff asked questions and sought clarifications on various issues of interest.
The CEOs were also required to provide copies of their agencies’ Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), organograms (including names and contact details of key officers), up-to-date nominal rolls, soft and hard copies of their presentations, and their Establishment Acts.
Critics have argued that such oversight functions are for the Office of the SGF, not the Chief of Staff, expressing concerns that Gbajabiamila may be overstepping his role and encroaching on the responsibilities of other offices. They express fears that this might lead to infighting between the two offices to the detriment of the nation.
Sources said the agencies might be stripped of their powers to carry out employments and promotions, as well as faithfully implement their project plans.
A senior official in the Office of the SGF, who spoke to Daily Trust on the condition of anonymity, said Gbajabiamila’s visits could undermine the authority of the SGF and other senior government officials.
“These visits are unprecedented and could set a dangerous precedent. The Chief of Staff is a political appointee, and his role should be limited to coordinating the activities of the presidency, not taking on oversight functions that are traditionally the responsibility of the SGF or the National Assembly,” the official said.
Senior civil servants divided
However, some senior staff in the Office of the SGF, expressed divergent views on the issue.
While some of them faulted Gbajabiamila’s oversight visits, others said there was no issue.
According to a director, so long as there are no illegalities or infractions of existing rules, there is nothing wrong with the Chief of Staff’s oversight visits.
“He is a political appointee, and he couldn’t have undertaken such visits without the president’s mandate,” the director said.
But another director in the administrative department of one of the agencies, viewed the Chief of Staff’s oversight visits as inappropriate, saying, “I see this as meddlesomeness. There are established channels for the oversight of agencies, and for a political appointee like the Chief of Staff to assume such responsibilities is not in good taste. His role should be strictly about coordinating staff within the Presidency and acting as a clearing house, not taking on supervisory duties over civil servants.”
Also speaking to Daily Trust, a senior civil servant in the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, who pleaded anonymity said: “As an internal review, the oversight by the Chief of Staff to the President is okay. However, the most appropriate field oversight is usually done by an external body, which, under normal circumstances, is the National Assembly.
“But we know that there may be more than meet the eye about this particular oversight visits by the Chief of Staff to the President”, the senior official said.
Another civil servant said Gbajabiamila’s visits could create confusion and overlap in responsibilities, leading to potential conflicts between different branches of government.
“It is important to maintain clear lines of authority and responsibility within the government. When multiple officials start taking on roles that are not within their mandates, it can lead to confusion and inefficiency,” the civil servant said.
A retired director, who served in the Offices of the SGF and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), expressed a similar view.
He said there is nothing inherently wrong in the Chief of Staff’s oversight visits if it benefits the service, but asked the government to always communicate clearly to the public in order to avoid misunderstanding.
CoS’ visits not against our mandate – Reps
When contacted, Philip Agbese, Deputy Spokesman of the House of Representatives, said the oversight visits by the Chief of Staff are not in conflict with the mandate of lawmakers.
According to him, the legislature encourages close supervisory checks and monitoring of agencies to ensure things are done correctly.
“What the Right Honourable Chief of Staff to Mr. President is doing is not in any way in conflict with our mandate as a parliament. On our part, we encourage routine supervisory checks by members of the executive in their duties over agencies and departments that are directly under their control.
“Those visits are valuable because they provide firsthand information about the state of these agencies, which is often lacking. Our Right Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila, being a product of the parliament, has demonstrated that institutional memory is crucial for the transformation of this country,” he said.
Agbese also said that the Chief of Staff’s visits could help bridge gaps in communication between the executive and legislature.
“By conducting these visits, the Chief of Staff is ensuring that the executive branch is fully informed about the activities and challenges of the agencies under its control. This can only be beneficial for the overall governance of the country,” he added.
CSOs seek scrutiny of CoS’ action
In an interview with Daily Trust, Dr. Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, said while there is nothing wrong with government officials working towards good governance, Gbajabiamila’s actions require careful scrutiny.
“The Chief of Staff is a personal appointee of the president and lacks the constitutional authority to carry out the functions of other government officials, even when he has the president’s mandate,” Itodo said.
He cautioned that such actions could set a bad precedent and create friction between government organs.
Tunde Salman, the team lead of the Good Governance Team (GGT) Nigeria, expressed a different view, saying that: “The Chief of Staff would not have undertaken these visits without the president’s mandate. Perhaps, the president wants to gain a better understanding of these offices. There is nothing wrong if it is done to improve governance,” Salman said, drawing a parallel to former U.S. President Barack Obama’s townhall meetings aimed at increasing transparency in government.
Salman further noted that the Chief of Staff’s visits could be seen as an attempt to streamline the operations of the presidency and ensure that agencies are working effectively and efficiently.
“If these visits lead to better coordination and improved performance of the agencies, then they should be welcomed. However, it is important to ensure that such actions do not undermine the authority of other officials or create unnecessary conflicts within the government,” he said.
Presidency, SGF’s Office silent
When contacted for comments, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy and the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Bayo Ononuga and Tope Ajayi respectively, neither answered calls to their mobile telephone lines nor replied to text and WhatsApp messages sent to them by one of our correspondents.
Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information in the Office of the SGF, declined comment on the issue.
(Daily Trust)
