- The Federal Government should replace sacked heads of agencies with the best available
Finally, the dangling axe has come down as the Federal Government last week sacked heads of federal agencies, parastatals and departments. About 26 have been relieved of their jobs and more are expected to go in the days, perhaps weeks ahead. In addition to the 26, heads of some federal universities have been told to quit in a bid to, ostensibly, correct the ills that have plagued the system since the regime of President Goodluck Jonathan.
The move was not unexpected. Every new government, in a bid to take its destiny in its hands makes changes that would see trusted allies assume posts of responsibility in the agencies. It also serves as a means of compensating those who had worked for the victory of the party. The presidential system of government, especially, founded as it is on the spoils system, ensures that the head of government who takes responsibility for all that goes right or wrong, is empowered to select his team.
However, the sack is the easier part of the task. The more difficult and important task is filling the vacancies thus created. In the past eight months, Nigerians have been regaled with stories of how officials of the Jonathan administration helped themselves with funds appropriated for the public good. This accounted for the poor performance of the agencies. It is therefore incumbent on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that only competent persons of integrity are appointed as successors to those just relieved of their posts.
We also hope the government would not see this as a mere opportunity to compensate party members. Under the presidential system, the head of government is free to seek professionals who might never have knocked at the door of a political party before, who thus see themselves as serving their country. This window should be opened to bring in square pegs in square holes. Apart from partisanship, the wrong application of the federal character principle has seen a decline in the quality of appointees over the years. For a government that has promised change, the Buhari administration should use this as a means of invoking the true spirit of that constitutional provision. It is not meant to willy-nilly bring in ethnic champions who come into the system owing no allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
We also call on the government to seize the opportunity to streamline federal administration and cut the cost of administration. Whereas constitutional provision could be pleaded for inability to prune the number of ministers, the same could not be said of departments and agencies. Many of the agencies work at cross-purposes and have ill-defined objectives. In reconstituting them, therefore, the Federal Government should simply merge or scrap those that serve little or no purpose.
Those who were sacked as a result of petitions and allegations of fraud should not simply be told to go and sin no more. There are due punishments in the statute books. Each should be duly investigated, and where a prima facie case could be established against them, they should be made to have their day in court. Nigeria has suffered such heavy haemorrhage in the hands of looters and leeches elected and appointed to high offices that those responsible for the current state of things should not be allowed to escape with a mere slap on the wrist. They should, after due prosecution and sentence, be barred from ever holding public office in the country.
This administration has a duty to ensure that the Nigerian ship remains afloat and this can be achieved only by having the best hands to handle public affairs. Patriotism, nationalism and merit should be the criteria for deciding replacements for the sacked heads of agencies. Other vacancies created as a result of change of government should be filled forthwith to ensure a full take-off of the government.
