Peddlers of lies and fabricators of allegations against the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Mr Olusade Adesola, have been charged to dedicate their brains and energy to more fruitful and meaningful ventures that will help move Abuja city forward.
From day one, they were enjoined not to distract the FCT Minister, Barr Nyesom Wike. He has left no one in doubt over his noble intentions to rid the city of Illegalities and ensure massive infrastructural development.
The call was made by the Coordinator of Pro-Impact Initiative, Dr Osamudiamen Isokpehi, who briefed journalists over the weekend in Abuja to shed light on the allegations.
Dr Isokpehi was responding to a write-up titled,‘ WHY FCT PERM SEC MUST BE SACKED AND ARRESTED NOW’ credited to one Babalola Tajudeen, which was being circulated online alleging unfounded misconduct against the Permanent Secretary of the FCT Administration.
He noted that his organization, after studying the write-up, was of the view to leave it in the bin of falsehood where it was from and still remains but resolved to respond for the sake of well-meaning residents, saying there is the need to state the truth and set the record straight.
Dr Isokpehi pointed out that contrary to the ‘satanic lie’ that Dr Olusade plotted the removal of his predecessor, Sir Christian Ohaa whom he still maintains a cordial relationship to date, he was posted to the FCTA during a major reshufflement of Permanent Secretaries, which was approved by the then President.
He reminded those behind the write-up that it was on August 28, 2020, that President Muhammadu Buhari redeployed Sir Ohaa from FCTA to The Ministry of Power and brought Olusade to the FCTA in an exercise that saw the redeployment of 13 permanent secretaries and deployment of the 12 new permanent secretaries who were sworn in two days before.
According to him, the posting was contained in a circular signed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan.
The circular, marked HCSF/CMO/AOD/012/V.III/39, is dated August 28, 2020.
He added, “We believed strongly that it was these same elements who never gave Sir Christian Ohaa peace during his days as permanent secretary as they dragged him to Berekete Radio and continued to write a series of petitions against him when the former minister, Muhammed Musa Bello was reappointed in 2019. Lest we forget, They also wrongly accused Sir Ohaa Of employing only his kinsmen from Enugu state, which was easily proven to be false. They also demanded his removal and called for him to be probed. Now they are on another mission to do what they know how to best”
On the allegation that the permanent secretary unilaterally employed 10,000 staff in three years, thus raising the total number of FCTA staff to 40,000, Dr Isokpehi said, “The enemies of the permanent secretary failed to cross-check their facts before circulating the falsehood.
Records at the Human Resource department of the FCTA have it that FCTA’s total staff strength currently stands at 32,201 as of August 2023. We believe this was contained in the handing over notes presented to the new minister.
“The record shows that the staff strength was initially 32,703 as of December 2020, rose to 32,831 in June 2021, and steadily came down with efficiency to 32,201 by August this year”.
He stressed that the FCTA administration is too complex for anyone, even the nation’s president or the minister holding it in trust for him, to employ mainly people from his village, state, region, or religious group, as alleged by the ‘crafters of fallacies.’
Also speaking on the alleged award of a Multi-billion naira contract, Dr Isokpehi pointed out that “ the ignorance of the writer or his paymasters was too obvious. Contracts from N100 million and above are presented in Memo to the Federal Executive Council for approval by the minister.
There is obviously no way a permanent secretary would award such contract(s).” He insisted that all the permanent secretary did within the period when the former minister left, and Mr Wike assumed the duty to keep Abuja running, which did not go down well with those who wanted the city to come to a halt.
On Land allocation, he reminded the writer that “ the Permanent Secretary, Mr Olusade Adesola, who is a well-bred Bureaucrat, knows that only the minister can allocate land, and so he did not get himself into what is not in his powers.
Even as chairman of the FCT land allocation committee, the permanent secretary knows his role is largely advisory as the final decision remains with the minister who oversees the city on behalf of the president and commander in chief”
On Revenue harmonisation between FCTA and the Six Area Councils of the Territory, he argued that “even the blind knows that issues of multiple taxations and unauthorized tax collectors and consultants across the city have been a major challenge.
The permanent secretary’s move is to solve this, and he deserves applause. Sadly, those who see nothing good in noble deeds are calling for his head. Reports have shown an increase in revenue generation, blockage of leakages, and orderliness in revenue collection”
The group, however, called on the FCT Minister to disregard such write-ups describing their crafter(s) as professional liars. They warned the minister to remember how these sets of people almost crucified the current permanent secretary’s predecessor when he was in office and repeated the same to the immediate past FCT minister as soon as he left office.
. TheWitness
