Disquiet as Akume ‘fails’ to issue appointment letters to 72 River Basin Executives

Appointed executives for 12 River Basin Development Authorities across the country are growing increasingly anxious over the prolonged delay in receiving their official appointment letters, despite President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive issued nearly three months ago.

The responsibility for issuing these letters lies with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume. However, the lack of action has reportedly created room for unchecked authority by interim officials still overseeing operations in the basins.

An appointee, speaking anonymously, expressed deep frustration over the situation: “It’s sad that three months after the President pronounced our appointments, we have been left in the cool. There is no explanation from the SGF who is supposed to issue our letters of appointments. We can’t access the SGF as we speak. There is no words from him,” the appointee said.

Another appointee expressed concerns on the impact of the delay on their ability to contribute to the administration’s goals:
“The entire thing is confusing. We have a mandate to contribute to the actualisation of the renewed Hope Agenda of Mr. President in the agricultural sector. But here we are waiting endlessly to hit the ground running.”

President Tinubu had previously urged the appointees to leverage their expertise to enhance the efficiency of the River Basin Development Authorities, aligning with the administration’s broader vision of improving citizens’ welfare through agricultural and rural development.

The 72 appointed executives, spread across the country, include chairpersons, managing directors, and executive directors across key areas such as finance, engineering, agriculture, and planning.

These appointments cover major River Basin Development Authorities, including the Ogun-Osun, Upper Benue, Chad Basin, and Anambra-Imo, among others.

Until the letters are issued, the new executives remain unable to formally assume their roles, leaving the future direction of the basin authorities uncertain.