Saturday 13 August 2011

Presidency disowns alleged suspension of Runsewe

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief (Vanguard)
The attempt by the Chairman of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, NTDC, Hon. Uche Anya, to remove the Director-General, Otunba Segun Runsewe, has backfired as the presidency, yesterday, disowned the purported suspension of the Chief executive. Hon. Anya had circulated a letter dated August 11 and signed by himself to media houses on Thursday in which he announced the suspension of Otunba Runsewe.
According to the chairman, the D-G was to go on suspension for failing to implement decisions of the board of NTDC
However, the Presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati said on phone that the presidency was not aware nor gave any such directive. Dr. Abati said it was unusual for a Chairman of federal government parastatal to issue a letter suspending a chief executive without the presidency’s directive. His words, “there was no statement like that from the Presidency. If indeed there was any such statement from the chairman of the Board that would be unusual”.
Only the presidency has the statutory powers to suspend or remove a D-G of a parastatal- after a recommendation from the board through the Minister and then the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who has to raise a memo on the matter to the president for approval. According to Dr. Abati, steps were being taken to determine what was happening between the Chairman and the D-G of the corporation.
In his reaction, Otunba Runsewe faulted the chairman’s letter of suspension, as according to him, the board chairman had no power to re move him from office.
His words, “It is the presidency that appointed me as the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation. So, it is the presidency that can suspend me”.
He said that the board of the corporation of which he is member did not meet nor take such a decision and that the letter was the sole action of Hon Anya and therefore could not stand. Findings showed that for the head of any federal government parastatal or agency to be suspended, members of the Governing Board of such must have met with the resolution of such meeting properly documented and forwarded to the Supervising Minister for approval.

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