Don’t turn yourselves to CEOs, recruiting officers – FG warns board members

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has warned members of boards of parastatal and agencies in the Ministry not to engage in the day-to-day running of their organisations.

He also warned them not to engage in any form of recruitment into the agencies unless government was aware.

Mohammed said this on Friday in Abuja at the inauguration of the boards of 13 parastatals and agencies of the ministry.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the role of the board of any organisation is to formulate policies and not to engage in the day-to-day running of the organisation.

“The board is to evolve strategic ways of supporting the agency so it can most effectively
deliver its mandate.

“I am sure some of you are already conversant with this, but it is necessary to restate it here for the benefit of all,” he said.

The minister said that in line with extant regulations, boards were to sit for a maximum of four times in a year.

He also said that due to government’s lean resources, the constitution of sub-committees of the board was not advisable.

The minister also admonished board members not to engage in unlawful recruitment into their organisations.

“It is important for you to know that due to the introduction of the IPPIS in the payment of staff salaries in the public service, agencies are constrained in employing members of staff.

“Recruitment should not be made until permission is sought and received from the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.”

The agencies, whose boards were inaugurated, are: The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Voice of Nigeria (VON), National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCB).

Others are; Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), and National Gallery of Arts (NGA), National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Centre for Black Arts and African Culture (CBAAC).

National Council for Museums and Monuments, (NCMM), National Troupe (NT), National Orientation Agency (NOA) and National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO).