More than three weeks after the Presidency relieved heads of agencies under the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy from duties, new chief executives are yet resume, owing to delay of their appointment letters.
President Bola Tinubu had, on January 12, through his spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, announced new heads of 11 agencies in the ministry.
The decision was, however, received with mixed reactions, as some of the chief executives were said to have understood dynamics of the sector, and could, have been retained for continuity.
One of the newly appointed chief executives told The Guardian that the fresh heads of parastatals had an exclusive briefing with the culture minister, Hannatu Musawa, and consequently, expected to resume duties immediately.
He said: “I think the delay came from office of the Chief of Staff to the President, which would have directed office of Secretary to Government of the Federation to issue us letters of appointment.
“But information reaching us said the letters are ready, and we may resume on Tuesday this week.
“The problem always comes from the office of the Chief of Staff, who should have directed the SGF to issue letters immediately.”
On reason they have absconded from their new offices, the source added: “We don’t want to go there based on the announcement. We needed to have our letters at hand. It is not a problem, though. The CoS has directed the SGF to do the needful, and I think we are good to go. By tomorrow, Tuesday, we shall go to take over. Although such delays happen at times, but none has been as long as three weeks. The interval of three weeks is enough for a lot of things to happen. That is just our worries.”
While they wait for their letters, the sacked director-generals have remained in office, this, some staff of certain parastatals, who spoke to The Guardian under condition of anonymity, described as unprecedented and confusing.
Meanwhile, two new agencies have been created out of National Commission for Museums and Monuments, namely National War Museum and Institute of Museondition of ology and Archelogy.
This is an agency bedevilled by poor funding. It remains uncertain how the newly created agencies would be funded.
