The FCT-Area Councils Service Commission is having a backlash over lack of justice and fairness in the ongoing payment of the Consultants’ liabilities.
It was gathered that Consultants who engaged in training Area Councils staff are being owed over N600million.
In a very proactive manner, the Minister of State resolved the four-year-old crisis by her approval of 30% of the Commission’s monthly Allocation for the settlement of the liabilities until it is extinguished.
But the Commission’s management is sharply divided on the methods of payment.
The Commission’s Director of Administration, Sarduuna Kaya, who is holding forth as the Acting Administrative Secretary is accused of the shoddy ways and manners the contractors are selectively being paid.
FCT Minister of State, Maryam Mahmoud, who supervises the commission, had upon several petitions by some aggrieved Consultants ordered the payment to all of them.
But in the latest letter of protest to the Minister, the Consultants are alleging that the payment is being done selectively.
The Acting Administrative Secretary had told the Consultants that he was acting on the list approved by the Minister.
“But when he got wind of the petition, he now maintained that the Minister of State did not approve any list, but was just an internal arrangement by him.”
Also troubling is the issue of the engagement of an unregistered Association of Consultants of the Commission, to regulate and screen their co-consultants who the Acting Admin Secretary excluded from the payment list.
The contractors alleged that some people who are parading themselves under the aegis of “Association of consultants of the Commission” are determining those to be paid.
“The association now regulates and screens their co-consultants and excluded those who are not on the list from the payment.
“The illegality and absurdity of engaging an unregistered association; which now gives all excluded Consultants Terms and Conditions, of the payment of 5-10% to facilitate their payments approval in Minister’s office at Area 11 is unfortunate.
Ironically, the original list of the Consultants which is comprehensive is with the Head of Accounts, Henry Okomah in the Commission.
The Head of Account was said to have opposed the selective and discriminating payment system run by the acting Administrative Secretary.
Okomah had recommended “first come first served” payment model for accountability, fairness and orderliness.
According to the source at the Commission, the Minister of State had approved 30% of the allocation of the Commission to settle all liabilities.
But the discriminatory agenda is jeopardizing this noble action of the Minister of State , and it calls for concern.
The excluded
Consultants are therefore calling the attention of the Minister of State to address the last part of the payment, to direct the commission to do the needful, by paying as the job was done.
They therefore suggested that the comprehensive list of liabilities has always been in the Accounts Department, and that it is the only official list that should be followed on “first come first served basis.”
They are therefore urging the Minister to ask the Commission to desist from patronising the unregistered Association of Consultants ,who are extorting money from consultants under the guise of facilitating their payments.
