A fresh labour crisis is brewing at the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) following serious allegations by two in-house unions accusing the agency’s governing board and elements of management, of gross abuse of office, violation of Public Service Rules (PSR), and persistent interference in administrative processes.

The allegations are contained in a joint press statement issued by the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) and the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE), FERMA Branch, signed by their chairmen, Comrade Paul Onimisi and Comrade Abdulmumin Idris.

According to the unions, the crisis began barely weeks after the appointment of the board chairman, Dr. Musa Babayo whom they described as a part-time appointee. The unions allege that Dr. Babayo immediately began interfering in the day-to-day administration of the agency, functions they insist are exclusively reserved for management under the Public Service Rules.

They accused the board chairman of arm-twisting management officials, particularly the Human Resources Department, to apply “illegal and extraneous rules” outside the recommendations of a properly constituted Senior Staff Committee (SSC), especially in matters relating to recruitment and promotion.

They further warned that continued interference could lead to the outright cancellation of the 2021 recruitment, which they claim was already conducted in violation of the approval granted by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.

Digging deeper, the unions accused the board chairman of attempting to retrospectively legitimise the recruitment by exerting influence through “back-channel engagements” within the Office of the Head of Service an action they described as a clear breach of the PSR.

Beyond recruitment, the unions accused the board of constituting what they described as “kangaroo committees” aimed at encroaching on executive, financial, and operational functions of management roles that are explicitly outside the board’s policy-oversight mandate.

They also alleged that affected staff were encouraged by the board to approach the National Industrial Court without first exhausting internal dispute-resolution mechanisms, contrary to PSR Section 2 (110201), which they insist should ordinarily attract immediate disciplinary action, including suspension.

The unions further warned that they would shut down FERMA if the governing board under the leadership of Dr. Musa Babayo refuses to ratify the 2025 promotion examinations as he threatened. They reaffirmed that the promotion process was strictly in line with established Public Service Rules, with full union participation to guarantee transparency and fairness.

Highlighting what they described as a culture of impunity within FERMA, the unions cited the case of the Director Information and PR of the agency Hajia Maryam Sanusi, who allegedly violated PSR provisions on secondment and transfer of service, yet reportedly sat for promotion examinations in both FERMA and the Federal Ministry of Information.

They described the situation as emblematic of long-standing institutional abuse, noting that such an offence ordinarily attracts dismissal under the Public Service Rules but has allegedly been protected by successive administrations.

a particularly grave allegation, the unions claimed that Dr. Babayo’s actions suggest a deliberate attempt to circumvent established rules for personal enrichment, allegedly to raise funds ahead of a future gubernatorial ambition in Bauchi State. They stressed that these claims remain allegations but insisted that the pattern of conduct raises serious ethical and governance concerns.

They also accused the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of appearing cowed by intimidation and threats allegedly emanating from the board chairman, thereby weakening efficiency of internal operations.

The unions maintained that these “brazen acts of interference” would be firmly resisted and called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi to urgently intervene and call the board chairman, Dr. Musa Babayo to orders

FERMA plays a critical role in the maintenance of federal roads across Nigeria. Stakeholders warn that escalating disputes over recruitment, promotions, and governance failures could disrupt operations, delay road maintenance projects, and erode public confidence in the agency. (The Nation)