By Kennedy Nayina.
The House Committee on FCT Area Councils and Ancillary Services today (15th May, 2018), led by the Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Zephaniah Jisalo, the Chairman FCT Area Councils Service Commission and the six Area Council Chairmen in the FCT held a meeting to deliberate the tenure of service for Heads of Departments in the various Area Councils of the FCT.
The Level of entry for the HOD’s was also top on the agenda as the Chairmen of the Area Councils made suggestions to allow for salary grade level 14 or 15 to be the entry level.
The meeting was held as a fulfillment of the process towards the enactment for a Bill to establish the FCT Area Council Service Commission. The Commission which has been in existence without a legal framework will now have a legal backing after the passage of the Bill.
In their submissions the Chairman Abuja Municipal Area Council, Hon. Abdullahi Candido called for the entry level for the HOD’s to be pegged at grade level 14, to allow for the upward movement of staff. In the same vein, the Hon. Chairman Kwali Area Council made a case for the removal of dichotomy so that staff can move or transfer their services to the MFCTA and ultimately the Federal Civil Service to fulfill their career aspirations in the Civil Service. The meeting was a success as the Chairmen of the other Area Councils all made meaningful contributions towards the successful enactment of the Bill.
Hon. JohnBull Shekarau seconded by Hon. Ime Ekpoattai also members of the Committee supported that the Commission as a statutory body should be in charge of discipline, training, recruitment, pension and other related matters.
