President Bola Tinubu on Thursday withdrew the nomination of 24-year-old Engr. Imam Kashim Imam as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA).
Last week, the President announced the constitution of FERMA’s governing board and management with Imam named as Chairman, while Engr. Chukwuemeka Agbasi is the Managing Director.
But since then, harsh criticism had trailed Imam’s appointment. Although he is a first-class graduate of Mechanical Engineering from Brighton University in the United Kingdom, he has had no prior work experience.
He is son of former Presidential Liaison Officer to the Senate in the Olusegun Obasanjo presidency, Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim-Imam. He ran for the governorship of Borno State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2003 and 2007, losing both times to the All Nigeria Peoples Party’s Ali Modu Sheriff.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, announced withdrawal of the junior Imam’s appointment on Thursday.
Although the Presidency did not announce his replacement, it said the “withdrawal of the above-mentioned nomination is directed with immediate effect.
“All other appointments to the Board and Executive Management team of FERMA are not affected by this directive”.
The President also appointed Dr. Olasupo Olusi as Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer for the Bank of Industry. He is to serve for a term of four years, in the first instance.
According a statement by Ngelale, President Tinubu’s approval of Olusi’s appointment “follows the voluntary resignation of former BOI Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Olukayode Pitan.
“Dr. Olasupo Olusi has served as a World Bank economist and development finance expert over the past 20 years. Between 2011 and 2015, Dr. Olusi served as the economic adviser to then Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance. He is an alumnus of Hull University, United Kingdom. He also obtained a Masters degree in International Money, Finance, and Investment, as well as a Doctorate in Finance & Economics from Durham University, United Kingdom, in 2005.
“The President tasks the new BOI Chief Executive to ensure that Nigerians, who are operating all sizes of enterprises across sectors, are given fair and equitable access to much needed support in order to bolster employment generation and wealth creation amongst income groups in the country with special regard for lower and middle income enterprise operators”.
President Tinubu also announced eight leadership positions in some agencies under the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation
They are:
(1) National Orientation Agency (NOA) — Director-General / CEO — Mr. Lanre Issa-Onilu
(2) Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) — Director-General / CEO — Mr. Salihu Abdulhamid Dembos
(3) Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) — Director-General / CEO — Dr. Muhammed Bulama
(4) National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) — Director-General / CEO — Mr. Charles Ebuebu
(5) Voice of Nigeria (VON) — Director-General / CEO — Mr. Jibrin Baba Ndace
(6) Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) — Director-General / CEO — Dr. Lekan Fadolapo
(7) News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) — Managing Director / CEO — Mr. Ali Muhammed Ali
(8) Nigerian Press Council (NPC) — Executive Secretary / CEO — Mr. Dili Ezughah
Ngelale said: The President tasks the newly entrusted leadership in these important sub-sectors to innovate and create new opportunities for Nigerians to leverage upon through the effective reform of these key institutions of government which function to unify our people, reshape mindsets, and showcase this great nation to the rest of the world”.
