FMARD |
The
challenges facing animals productivity in the country may be deepened if
appropriate steps are not taken to correct the internal posting carried out in
the Department of Animal and Husbandry of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture
and Rural Development (FMARD) which is contrary to National civil service
rules.
Although the
internal posting carried out in March this year was said to be a general one
among the directors of the ministry, but the one for the Animal and Husbandry
Department was perceived as being a witch hunt emanating from the veterinarians
who were said to be totally against the new creation.
The Animal and Husbandry was curved from
Veterinary Department to stand on its own by the Office of the Head of Civil
Service of the Federation (OHCSF) under the leadership of former Minister of
Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina so as to ensure professional ethics through
best global policy practice that would enhance animal productivity especially
in the face of herdsmen movement for foods and water.
Presently
the internal posting had since witnessed the replacement of Dr. Ademola Moshood
Raji, an animal scientist with a female veterinarian Dr. Egejuru Eze, and this
has been seen by stakeholders as a slap to professionalism and civil service
rules and due process.
The Civil Service Commission, OHCSF and the
National Association of Animal Science Association of Nigeria (ASSAN) together
with Labour Union have expressed their resentment on the posting for various
reasons that have a common face of breach of professionalism.
Food Farm News gathered that the erroneous impression
about the appointment of Dr. Raji as a level grade 14 officer has been
officially clarified by the Civil Service Commission during an organized
interactive meeting between the FMARD Permanent Secretary and OHCSF where he (Dr. Raji) was cleared as
GL 17 officer with entitlement to occupy the post of a Director at the Federal
Ministry from another government agency.
But it was
gathered up till this point, the meeting seem not to have yielded any fruitful
result despite a letter written to the present Minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh to
revert this decision so as to allow the director to complete his tenure.
Part of the
clause of letter written to Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh read thus
“ it is pertinent to note that at the said meeting of march, 2016, the PS,
Agric informed the commission that all actions taken by him were predicated
upon the directive of the Hon. Minister. It is against this background that the
commission feels strongly compelled to bring the matter urgently to your
attention and to correct the erroneous impression on the status of Dr. Raji”
“Reiterate
that Dr. Raji should be allowed to complete his tenure which ends by June 2016. If his service is no longer
required, the process of his de-secondment should be effected through the FCSC,
and observed that a veterinary Doctor is not professionally qualify to head the
Animal production and Husbandry Department as he does not have the locus stand
to certify the animal production and husbandry services staff working under him
for Examination purposes”
All the
effort on the part of Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment through a
meeting between Animal Science Association
of Nigeria (ASSAN) and FMARD has not up till now yielded any positive effect.
As a result
of this parallel action, the recently organized retreat on livestock and dairy
development in Nigeria by the ministry witnessed the absent of the members of animal
scientists which their contribution would have immensely added value to the
outcome of the event as it is related to setting an agenda for commercializing
livestock and dairy development in Nigeria.
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