A 44-member team has been inaugurated to serve as the Governing Board of three Parastatals under the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
The parastatals are the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST) and National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja recently, Minister Of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Patanmi, explained the composition of the Board: “We have inaugurated 44 governing board members, 17 for NIMC with ex-officials members including those appointed by Mr. President and others. For NITDA, we have 19 including the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer who serves as the secretary; and members of the board and NIPOST has 8 members.
He further admonished the members: “We do hope you will continue to display maturity.”
Pantami said the responsibilities of the newly inaugurated governing board members was to oversee the activities of the parastatals as well cascade the national policies developed by the supervising ministry.
“You should try your best within the responsibilities that have been assigned to you by the various enabling Acts establishing the parastatals, other government policies and directives that may come up from time to time.”
He further explained: “More than 90% of them appointed today were reappointed as a result of our recommendations, as well as due to their display of maturity in the way and manner they interact with the parastatals,” he said.
Pantami said there had been some complaints from other ministries where board members had misunderstandings with the management, while completely neglecting their responsibilities, and cautioned: “We must ensure that we should respect constitutional authority in whatever we do; and the boards have no power as regards to awarding contracts and Minister has no power when it comes to awarding contracts as an independent status.”
“We are part of the board and the management and we are not part of the tenders board,” he warned.
He also commended the members: “To be fair to all of you. I am so much grateful in the way and manner you try to display maturity of yourself operate within the ambit of the laws and government policies and hope you improve in the second tenure,” Pantami said.
He said the responsibilities of the Boards were already outlined in most of the laws including those establishing this institutions – NIPOST Act of 1992, NITDA Act of 2007 and NIMC Act of 2007.
Pantami charged the new appointees to be more responsible in the discharge of their duties and would not tolerate any form of insubordination by any of the three parastatals.
