Disquiet In NASRDA Over Substantive DG Appointment

There is currently a scramble for leadership at the National Space Research and Development Agency (NARSDA) over the leadership of the parastatal as the former acting director-general, Mr Jonathan Angulu retired from the agency on the 15th of this month.

Being science-based, the leadership of the agency is picked from the agency, but there is disquiet over the refusal to elevate the most senior in the agency. Apart from that, the agency is seriously embroiled in flagrant disregard of established laws.

Clear provisions that stipulated that the agency submits each year, latest 31st July, it’s programs of work and estimate of its income and expenditure for the following year, audited accounts of the agency not later than 6 months after the end of the year and report of activities of the agency have so far not been followed to letter because of neglect of merit and use of incompetent hands.

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The retired director-general, a history graduate, was appointed in an acting capacity on in June last year after the expiration of the two terms of Professor Seidu Mohammed. On his retirement on 15th of this month, the most senior, Dr G.I. Agbaje was bypassed for a junior to become the acting director-general.

There are fears within the parastatal that this might lead to a crisis within the science agency if justice is not done on the appointment of the substantive director-general.

Currently, there are two contending senior officers jostling for the substantive headship of the agency.

The two most senior are Dr G.I. Agbaje, Director, Centre for Space Science and Technology Education Ile Ife and Dr F.D. Chizea, Director of Planning, Policy and Research now on acting capacity as director-general.

However, Dr G.I. Agbaje, an indigene of Lagos, having become a deputy director earlier in 2006, is the most senior. He was seconded to the Federal Civil Service from the Lagos State Civil Service Commission with reference number LB/616/5.6/32 in September 2004 starting with the position of an assistant director.

He is currently the most senior in the parastatal.

According to a source in the parastatal, there is currently disquiet in the agency as the staff wait on the government to do the right do thing by correcting the mistake made in the headship of the agency.