Hausa-Fulani Have Ruined FRCN, Says Acting DG, Samson Shaibu-PREMIUM TIMES
July 1, 2013 - 21:02 — siteadmin

By Bassey Udo
This is an excerpt of a  brief interview with the acting Director General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, Samson Shaibu (SS). He is still in office even though he, by civil service rules, should have retired after turning 60.
PREMIUM TIMES (PT): You are supposed to retire on June 22, yet you have approval from the Minister of Information to travel to Ireland to represent the country on July 22. Why is that the case?
SS: It is so because I have finished my retirement from service, but I am now acting DG, and that is political appointment. And the antecedents are these. The former DG who left before me was brought from retirement. Eddie Iroh was brought from retirement, and then Kevin Ejiofor was brought from retirement. The DG’s position is a political appointment. So, people are just being mischievous saying what they are saying. There are antecedents. But, my former career as a civil servant has expired. And I am acting DG, and there are antecedents. You know if you want to go emotional, the former man who finished before me was Hausa-Fulani. He was brought from retirement to serve as DG. Are there two rules in Nigeria – one for the minority and one for the Hausa-Fulani? There was an Igbo man, who was brought from retirement too (Kevin Ejiofor) and Eddie Iro. So, people are just talking about what they don’t understand.
For further information, the assignment I am going is funded by Chinese Government and not by Federal Government. So, people are just talking from half information.
PT: The recent fire incident in the studio at the corporation, how was it handled? Any report of the probe?
SS: The fire incident was teleguided by detractors who feel they should create a crisis situation for somebody they feel is not a team player. For your information, I am not a team player in corruption. I am acting DG for three months now, and if you ask the workforce, they would tell you there is an added difference. Within these three months, I have bought a bus for FRCN. Within these three months, 22 studios that were conduit pipes for corruption in FRCN have been resuscitated, and there is light there now.  And if I have opportunity of meeting with you, I will give you a catalogue of achievements. This has not happened for the past 15 years. But, people who are corrupt in our system would not like to see the likes of me. For example, there are people being teleguided from the Legal Department and Admin who are beneficiaries of corruption in the system.
 
PT: There is an allegation that you don’t carry everyone along, particularly on issues of staff welfare?
SS: As a journalist, if you can please ask the workforce, through independent investigation, the people who ruled before me, who were carrying people along, what did they do? In these three months time of my tenureship, I have paid more T&B (travelling and basic tours allowance) than any other person in the last two years. Records are there for all to see.
PT: It is said that you employed over 125 people and ignored the people employed in 2012, yet there are no offices and tools for them to work with?
SS: That employment was done by the previous regime that I inherited. The former DG, Barrister Yusuf Nuhu is the one who employed people, and that employment, to be fair to him, I don’t want to condemn my predecessors, was a collective decision of management. I have not employed a single person since I came.
The former DG employed, I don’t know the specific figure. That is what I inherited. So, people are just peddling this. These are people who believe they must rule FRCN forever. And Nigeria is a country of six geo-political zones. I am saying this, not as a slight to any tribe, because I know that Nigeria is a partnership of six geo-political zones. Nigeria is not owned by Hausa-Fulani, neither is it owned by Igbo or Yoruba. It is owned by all Nigerians. There six geo-political zones in this country. The Hausa-Fulani has serially ruled FRCN, or ruined FRCN all these years. Thank you very much.

Govt Fires Sit-Tight Federal Radio Corporation Of Nigeria DG After Ethnic Rant- PREMIUM TIMES
July 2, 2013 - 11:45 — siteadmin

caption:
Samson Shaibu
By Bassey Udo
Information Minister, Labaran Maku, on Monday ordered the acting Director General, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Samson Shaibu, to vacate office immediately following a PREMIUM TIMES exclusive report, which revealed that he was sitting tight in office despite attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60.
Mr. Shaibu, who was last February appointed acting DG of the Federal Government-owned broadcasting corporation following the expiration of the tenure of Yusuf Nuhu, clocked 60 on June 22.
The Federal Civil Service rule stipulates that all categories of workers in the public service shall compulsorily retire at 60, or after serving for 35 years, whichever is earlier. The only exemptions are judicial officers and members of the Academic Staff of Universities who are entitled to retire at 70 and 65 years respectively.
The law specifically says that a director shall compulsorily retire upon serving eight years on the post.
In line with the tradition in the civil service prior to retirement, Mr. Shaibu should have commenced his pre-retirement vacation since March this year.
But, PREMIUM TIMES gathered that shortly after assuming office, the acting DG reportedly informed colleagues about a letter he said was issued to him by the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation giving  him the option of either leaving or staying on till further notice.
A source in the Federal Ministry of Information said yesterday’s report  on Mr. Shuaibu terribly embarrassed Mr. Maku, who was accused by ministry and FRCN officials of abetting the acting DG to violate the nation’s laws.
It was gathered that the Minister, who was very angry on seeing the report in PREMIUM TIMES, immediately summoned the DG to his office and gave him the marching orders to hand over immediately to the most senior director in the corporation.
“It appears the minister received directive from the presidency and the office of the secretary to government of the federation asking him to send the DG away immediately,” a ministry insider said.
It was gathered that in the absence of the most senior director in Abuja, Mr. Shaibu was directed to hand over to the Corporation’s secretary (Legal), David Anpahzo, pending the arrival of the Director of Training, FRCN Training School, Lagos, Tony Adione, who is next in line among the most senior directors qualified to take over.
It was gathered that two other directors, who could have taken over, were overlooked over some pending internal issues.
Mr. Maku could not be reached for comments. His Special Assistant (Media), Joseph Mutah, did not respond to calls and text message to his phone seeking comment on why the minister encouraged the FRCN boss to stay on.
Mr. Shaibu had told PREMIUM TIMES he broke no law by overstaying in office.
“My former career as a civil servant has expired,” he said. “I have retired from service. But, I am serving a political appointment as acting DG of FRCN.”
Meanwhile,  a former DG of the corporation, Eddie Iroh, has faulted Mr. Shaibu’s claim that his action to stay on after his retirement followed a precedence set by his predecessors in office.
Mr. Iroh, who is one of those Mr. Shaibu said were tapped from retirement to head the station, vehemently denied that he was recalled from retirement to take up appointment as DG when he did, describing Mr. Shaibu’s claim as incorrect.
“It is grossly false for him (Shaibu) to say that I was appointed DG of FRCN “from retirement,” Mr. Iroh said. “The only public service position I had held prior to FRCN was as Controller with NTA, from where I resigned in 1982 to join the founding staff of the Guardian newspaper – a fact of public knowledge. At the time I resigned I was still in my forties, had served for only eight years, and therefore a long way from retirement.”

Dr samson alhaji corruption terror shaibu ruled and ruined FRCN. We are please to miss you.