Ministers jittery over indictment by their aids, await Buhari’s axe

There are strong indications that a number of ministers are now on the edge following a vote of no confidence passed on them by their lieutenants.

The vote of no confidence is coming on the heels of non payment of salaries and other entitlements to the aids who were either employed directly or seconded by the various ministries to their principals.

Investigation by journalists showed that the situation of non-payment of salaries and Duty Tour Allowances (DTA) had become a source of concern to these appointees aids as they are now unable to fulfill their obligations to their families.

A competent source told The Eagle that many of the culprit ministers are now jittery that President Buhari’s axe may fall on them, especially given that their refusal to pay their aids was an indirect indictment on the credibility of the current administration.

Buhari came to power on the planks of anti-corruption ideology but the actions of his political party the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the recent have tended to douse this.

it is seen as additional damage for ministers under the same administration to live up to their responsibilities and commitments to their employees

Many of the aids are surviving on just their Duty Tour Allowance (DTA) and this is seen as an invitation to corrupitive enrichment.

There had been insinuations against a particular minister, accused of buying up houses, appropriating wealth but refusing to pay his wages, a development that turned him into a beggar.

“The man is always traveling. He goes everywhere and never stays long in Nigeria. He collects his DTA and those of some aides who never accompany him on the trips. Even when he is going on medical trips which he does every time, they raise money for one or two persons meant to accompany him. He is entitled to that but nobody goes with him. It’s all money, money, money and he never gives a hoot about those working with him”, was how one of the affected aids narrated the matter.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation(SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, recently warned chairmen and members of the governing boards of Federal Government agencies against corruption.

Mustapha gave the warning at the inauguration of the governing boards of parastatals under the supervision of the office of SGF in Abuja, where he urged to live up to expectations as statutory bodies, saying that their main responsibility was to give policy direction to the management of their respective agencies.

“The present administration has zero tolerance for any form of corruption, and this stance must not be compromised in any way.

“Government will frown at and punish corrupt practices perpetrated by any board member as well as the management team of these agencies.

“Your agencies are critical to the achievement of the developmental goals of government, being implementing entities,” Mustapha said.

It is expected that the latest development, would force many of the ministers to exercise a level of restraint in their spending patterns, and in their conducts generally.