Redeployed ‘powerful’ FAAN director protests ‘victimisation, illegality’

Salamatu Umar-Eluma, the former director of human
resources at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), is
accusing unnamed officials of the agency and the ministry of
transportation of “victimisation” and “illegality” over her
redeployment.

Umar-Eluma, who was regarded as the most powerful person at
FAAN, is ready to protest to the “highest authorities” over her
redeployment to Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) in the same
position, TheCable was informed at the weekend.

She is alleging that the posting was a breach of public service
rules and an attempt to remove her from office “by any means
possible”.

The director, TheCable was informed, is contending that
according to the rules, an officer can only be redeployed to
another agency under the conditions of secondment, transfer of
service or resignation of a serving officer who wishes to be
engaged by another government agency.

A letter dated August 18, 2017 from the federal ministry of
transportation, Abuja, had said based on the directives of the
aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, she should immediately proceed and
resume at the AIB as director of human resources.

But she is contending that the establishment act of FAAN had not
been amended to warrant the ministry’s “wrongful posting or
deployment” of a pensionable, career officer to another independent
entity.

She is also contending that the posting instruction “smacks of
outright mischief and an attempt at broad day victimisation to
enhance my sudden and premature removal from office through
whatever means possible”, sources said.

She wants the posting declared ultra vires, null and void and of
no effect, the sources further said.‎

Umar-Eluma was appointed an assistant general manager in FAAN in
2000 and later rose to director of human resources and
administration in 2012.

She is said to be a close ally of Aisha Buhari, the president’s
wife.

Sirika was not available for comments, but an official in the
ministry, who declined being named because he was not authorised to
comment on the issue, said “it is a dead matter”, adding that no
civil servant determines his or her posting “anywhere in the
world”.

Umar-Eluma declined to talk to TheCable, explaining that civil
service rules bar her from making media comments.

Salamatu Umar-Eluma, the former director of human
resources at the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), is
accusing unnamed officials of the agency and the ministry of
transportation of “victimisation” and “illegality” over her
redeployment.

Umar-Eluma, who was regarded as the most powerful person at
FAAN, is ready to protest to the “highest authorities” over her
redeployment to Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) in the same
position, TheCable was informed at the weekend.

She is alleging that the posting was a breach of public service
rules and an attempt to remove her from office “by any means
possible”.

The director, TheCable was informed, is contending that
according to the rules, an officer can only be redeployed to
another agency under the conditions of secondment, transfer of
service or resignation of a serving officer who wishes to be
engaged by another government agency.

A letter dated August 18, 2017 from the federal ministry of
transportation, Abuja, had said based on the directives of the
aviation minister, Hadi Sirika, she should immediately proceed and
resume at the AIB as director of human resources.

But she is contending that the establishment act of FAAN had not
been amended to warrant the ministry’s “wrongful posting or
deployment” of a pensionable, career officer to another independent
entity.

She is also contending that the posting instruction “smacks of
outright mischief and an attempt at broad day victimisation to
enhance my sudden and premature removal from office through
whatever means possible”, sources said.

She wants the posting declared ultra vires, null and void and of
no effect, the sources further said.‎

Umar-Eluma was appointed an assistant general manager in FAAN in
2000 and later rose to director of human resources and
administration in 2012.

She is said to be a close ally of Aisha Buhari, the president’s
wife.

Sirika was not available for comments, but an official in the
ministry, who declined being named because he was not authorised to
comment on the issue, said “it is a dead matter”, adding that no
civil servant determines his or her posting “anywhere in the
world”.

Umar-Eluma declined to talk to TheCable, explaining that civil
service rules bar her from making media comments.