Grumbling in FRSC over promotions

Crisis is brewing at the Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC) over allegation of ‘favouritism’ and ‘marginalization’ of some officers in its ongoing promotion exercise.
Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that the FRSC invited 57 officers for the 2016 promotion exercise scheduled to commence today in Enugu. But some senior officers of the Corps have petitioned the National Security Adviser, accusing the management of ‘bias’ against officers from the North in the exercise.

A copy of the petition signed by a group of ‘Concerned Officers’ sighted by Daily Trust on Sunday argued that “the FRSC released a timetable for 2016 promotion exercise under an administrative instruction referenced FRSC/HQ/CS/516Vol.2/03 dated 16 September, 2016 and many of us from the North are feeling short-changed because we were not invited for the exercise after waiting for more than 10 years on one rank.
“The list showed that only southerners were favoured to write the exams even though many of us from the North have satisfied the needed requirement for the exercise. For example, out of a total number of 28 level 15 officers, who were called to be promoted to level 16 (CC-ACM), only three are from the North - Kano, Kebbi and Benue. Again, out of 25 level 14 officers (DCC_CC) invited for the exercise, only one is from the North-Adamawa.”
The list obtained by Daily Trust on Sunday indicates that Ondo State had the highest with number officers invited for promotion, while no one was invited from 12 northern states.

From the North, Kogi State has two officers invited. Other northern states with one officers each are; Benue- S.A. Ajenge (15-16), Kebbi- P. Kibo (15-16), Kano- H. Dauda (15-16), Niger- M.I. Garba (15-16) and E.O. Abe (15-16). For level 14 officers being promoted to level 15, two are invited from the North and they are; H. S. Nehemia - Adamawa and J.A. Babalola - Kwara. On the list, A.D. Adejoh from Kogi State was also invited for promotion from level 13 to 14.
A breakdown according to the six geo-political zones shows that South West got highest number of officers on the promotion list with 22 in all cadre, followed by South-east with 15, North-central, six, South-South, five, North-west, two and North-east, one. The ‘Concerned officers’ further alleged that “in FRSC, public service rules are not applied in promotion exercises.
“Marginalization of northern officers in FRSC is common. Just last year when the FRSC released its 2015 promotion of officers on level 12-13 (CRC -ACC), out of a total number of 113 officers promoted to level 13, only three were from the northern part of the country and nobody said anything,” the group said.
The aggrieved officers called on government to suspend the 2016 promotion exercise and investigate FRSC management for its role in the said ‘marginalization saga’.
When contacted, FRSC Head of Media Relations and Strategy, Bisi Kazeem, said the allegations were not true. He said “promotion in FRSC is one of the most transparent exercises in the country. Every eligible person writes promotion examination, that forms the highest criteria. The papers are marked by appointed scholars from outside the Corps, who do not know whose paper they are marking. On interview day after the examinations, scripts are shown to individuals to peruse and confirm markings. Other criteria include seniority. To show transparency and openness, an officer from the Secretary to Federal Government (SGF)’s office is always present to witness the exercises. It should also be noted that promotions are done according to vacancies.”