“Non-State Actors Consultative Forum (NOSACOF), a non-governmental organization, has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his proactive measures in implementing certain policies and instituting reforms to salvage the future of this country.
This commendation was conveyed in a press statement issued, signed, and made available to Online Tribune in Dutse, Jigawa State capital, by the forum’s convener, Comrade Abdurrazaq Alkali. He stated, ‘President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s recent actions are a testimony to his administration’s efforts to redirect Nigeria towards a more promising future.’
The group noted that ‘since the inception of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, it has become clear to all Nigerians that it will not be business as usual.’
The statement also urged the president to be vigilant regarding alleged efforts by some politicians and individuals within the government attempting certain structural and constitutional changes to some government institutions, which may create confusion in the government.
According to the statement, ‘Mr. President, the present push for a bill by some members of your government to amend the provision establishing the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) and allow the NSA to establish and recruit its own staff, similar to existing government agencies and parastatals, is ill-informed and can set a very bad precedent.’
The statement further emphasized that ‘concealing the true intention and motive behind such a move is about personal and political interests.’
Comrade Alkali added, ‘First and foremost, passing this bill will mean that the overall infrastructure of the NSA’s office will have to be overhauled to avoid conflict with the sections of the constitution that establish it. Alternatively, the section of the constitution will have to be changed to accommodate the bill’s provisions.’
The forum, in the statement, expressed concerns that ‘this has the potential to create many overlaps in the functions of some already existing intelligence agencies, such as the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Department of State Services (DSS), etc. With the same vision, mission, aims, and objectives, it will further widen disunity, rivalry, and lack of synergy between the various security agencies.’
‘Presently, the NSA has been the fulcrum of maintaining and enforcing cooperation between the security agencies. One key component of its success is due to the fact that it derives staff and collaborations from various security agencies. As a result, these agencies do not perceive the office of the NSA as a rival agency,’ the group emphasized.
‘Thus, restructuring the office of the NSA into an agency and allowing it to recruit its own staff at present will significantly reduce the efficiency of the NSA’s operations.’
The statement maintained that ‘This is because the office of the NSA will not be able to fill roles with candidates of the desired expertise and specialty. It will end up spending years (perhaps decades) and billions of Naira to train these staff to the desired level of competency. On the other hand, security agencies may be reluctant to share staff with the NSA as they will feel they are no longer relevant to the office of the NSA. Given the current security and financial challenges facing the country, this is definitely the wrong move and the wrong timing as well.’
The statement also noted that the office of the NSA is known to be one of the only offices that work with highly professional and skilled staff, selected from various security agencies primarily based on merit, skills, and capacity.
‘Mr. President, the responsibility of making the right decisions for our country rests on your shoulders, and I am confident that you will not allow such a dubious bill to be pushed through using your name or support.”
. TheWitness
