3 Months After, Kefas Appoints Former Speaker As Political Adviser, Over 1000 Appointees Yet To Get Portfolios
By Chuwang Dungs
The Taraba State Governor, Agbu Kefas, has appointed a former speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Josiah Kente, as his Special Adviser, Political Affairs.
Mr. Kefas, Monday announced the appointment of Kente, barely three months after his name was listed among the 1072 appointees approved by Mr Kefas, to serve as Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants, Constituency Special Assistants, Community Special Assistants, Members of Boards, Commissions and Agencies of Taraba state.
Kente, a veteran journalist, is best remembered for the role he played while serving as the Chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Taraba State Chapter.
He also worked and served as the Head of Department of Mass Communication at the Nassarawa State University Keffi.
Recall that Kefas through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the State (SGS), Timothy Kataps, approved the appointments of 1072 persons in batches to be appointed into various political positions.
The appointees were asked to submit their Curriculum Vitae (CV) to some WhatsApp platforms connected to the office of the SGS.
Apart from Kente and Charles Maijankai, who was earlier appointed as Adviser on Security Affairs, all the other appointees are yet to be served appointment letters or assigned with any responsibility.
Speaking with DAYLIGHTREPORTERS, the immediate past Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Anthony Jellason, who is one of the appointees said he is yet to be communicated about any appointment.
Mr Jellason said he got to know about the appointment through people that said they saw it on social media.
“Am not aware of any appointment from Governor Kefas, I know the procedure of offering appointments to an individual, I have not been given any letter to indicate that I am an appointee of the Taraba state government, I only heard people saying, that it is on the social media for the past three months.” Jellason stated.
Similarly, a gubernatorial aspirant under the platform of People’s Democracy Party (PDP) in the last election in the state, Jerome Nyameh, who is also one of the appointees said he only saw his name on the social media and nobody has contacted him officially.
According to him, appointments are not done on social media, “if you are appointed, you should have an engagement letter defining your position.”
“Am not aware if the governor has given appointment to me, we are in a civilised society, I have not heard on the radio or television that am offered appointment, nobody from the government call to intimate me that I have been offered appointment, no letter was offered to me, as far as I am concerned, I don’t know if there is any appointment offered to me, people told me they saw it on the social media.” Nyameh a Professor said.
One of the appointees, a friend to the governor who begged for anonymity told DAYLIGHTREPORTERS that “The government is yet to communicate to us about our appointments. Just like other appointees, I learnt about my appointment through the media. No prior engagement from the government and till now, the government is yet to officially inform us.
The special Adviser to the governor on Media and Digital Communications Emmanuel Bello, declined to comment on the issue.
