Ishilove:


Worried that it may not survive the expected general restructuring of government outfits, the secretariat of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P), has embarked on a hastened wind down of its programmes and activities towards the May 29 hand over to a new administration to be headed by Maj Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).


Consequently, the SURE-P chairman, Dr. Ishaya Dare Akau, has approved massive sack and disengagement of its staff last week.


According to a letter obtained by THISDAY, which was signed by the Head of Administration, SURE-P, Olusoji Adeniran, and dated April 28, 2015, the staff were informed that their services would no longer be required since the programme is coming to an end.


The first paragraph of the letter read: “As you are already aware the mandate of SURE-P Committee ends in May 2015. Towards this end, the secretariat has commenced it’s winding down activities which includes disengagement of staff amongst others.”


This did not however go down well with most of the disengaged staff who expressed shock and disappointment that they were not duly informed before being served a backdated letter.


According some of those who spoke to THISDAY on the condition of anonymity, the new chairman, Dr. Akau, since his resumption of office in early March, has not been officially introduced to staff members in a meeting or anything of the sort.


“Without his large entourage, he would pass unnoticed through the secretariat’s corridors,” the source noted.


According to them: “SURE-P Committee Members’ tenure expired February 20, 2015 and they unilaterally decided to disengage the secretariat staff as well. Selflessness and love for humanity should have prompted them to make plans for the staff members who have given years of committed dedication to see to the actualisation of the SURE-P mandate.


“The plan would have been to discuss with President Goodluck Jonathan ; who is their boss, by the way; and ask a very simple heartfelt question - “Is SURE-P closing down? Should we put plans in place for staff members to be placed in other agencies to avoid unemployment?”


“But no, they went ahead to draw up disengagement letters to several staff members in the hope of issuing the same to the rest by May 29, 2015.

“To them, the Buhari administration would not want to continue the SURE-P, so it should be scrapped.


“It’s interesting to note that staff members have not been paid monthly wages since February 2015, with the letters of disengagement stating they will be paid ‘soonest.’”


However, the secretariat was said to have claimed that lack of funds was the reason behind the lack of payments, “while committee members are feeding fat with monthly sitting allowances and ridiculous ‘accommodation allowances’ for 2015, whereas their tenure expired back on February 20 (according to their appointment letters issued by President Goodluck Jonathan back in February 2012.


“It’s worthy to note that wages for all SURE-P staff amounts to N13million monthly. So SURE-P does not have a mere N13million to pay salaries, while Secretariat funds brought forward from 2014 was N200m? It begs the question- where are the funds?”, one of the aggrieved staff asked.


THISDAY findings revealed that in defiance of labour laws by the Secretariat, staff members suffered on many levels, apart from lack of payment of wages for months.


The findings further revealed that the ‘disengaged’ staff were not given a month’s notice of disengagement, so they are entitled to a month’s salary in-lieu.


“Sadly, former staff members who have given years of productive service to the nation through SURE-P have suddenly been rendered jobless. It is worthy of note that all the ‘disengaged’ staff members are in their 20s and 30s.

According to the administrative arrangement, the civil servants were seconded to the SURE-P Secretariat from their various ministries. These one are not in the SURE-P pay-roll, but they call the shots. They run the Performance & Operations Unit (Headed by the Coordinator, they are in charge of coordinating all SURE-P projects, as regards interface with contractors and dealing with all the bureaucratic matters involved.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/may-29-sure-p-winds-down-sacks-staff/209014/

I THOUGHT GEJ SAID THE INCOMING ADMINISTRATION SHOULD CONTINUE WITH HIS "GOOD WORKS"?

mrborntodoit:


What is FTC? A state or capital?

Are u a learner!?

Sure-P ko abi unSure-P. That one na job? We're talking about GAINFUL employment and productivity, you're talking of GEJ sycophants and their thieving goat bosses stealing our yam. Nonsense, they should be probed.

demandtruth:



I think you may be right.
Though, it was used to feed pdp party faithfuls

Why has ND amnesty package not ended this year

Amnesty u mean? Ask Buhari and co. to do the right thing and end Niger Delta problems. It a national problem and require a national solution. Nigerians are full of pretends and injustices. It is untill when we talk togather like the one we did at the national confab no peace in Nigeria will be seen in Nigeria. Let the right policies be put in place. Restructure Nigeria nõw and stop complaining people again. Maintain the status quo and get a frustrated country.We want a Nigeria were all part of the country is working not some part of it. To change Nigeria anyday we must talk talk and talk to agree sincerely.

Spoke with a friend in the SureP GIS office. He told me that it is true they are laying off some of their staff (contract staff) but the programme is still on. As a matter of fact there is provision for the programme in the 2015 budget.

Mayydayy:
Another way the jonathan govt rewarded their thugs .i was here when sure p came.am still here they are closing shop.
Jonathan said the subsidy money saved will be REINVESTED.Thats SURE.P
Am yet to see where the money was reinvested.

The money was reinvested, google it... There is evidence to show that Sure-P completed various uncompleted projects... Whether the efficiently utilized the monies allocated to them is another issue...

I know we are unhappy with the GEJ administration, but we dont have to throw away the baby with the dirty bath water...

sure p s an NGO, it doesn't generate money, so the idea of paying salaries is unrealistic in the first place, cos its not a going concern, just a temporary arrangement to siphon govt money, too bad nobody informed the staff who were working there,

See the importance of seperating a business from personalities, had GEj won the elections it would have continued, the workers of sure p shud have seen the hand writing on the wall when GEj conceded defeat. They should dust up their cvs and move on, at least they gained some work experience there.

Make I dey here dey observe things

what of YouWin program?

It has to be closed down because it is illegal and fraud so they have to cover their illegal deeds.

engrfcuksmtin:
Spoke with a friend in the SureP GIS office. He told me that it is true they are laying off some of their staff (contract staff) but the programme is still on. As a matter of fact there is provision for the programme in the 2015 budget.

you are the only person that has spoken wisely, tnx 4 giving us hope.

I read all about Youwin Nigeria from here www.supreme.com.ng/youwin-business-plan-competition-2015-www-youwin-org-ng/