The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have been added to the list of organizations that are immune from President Bola Tinubu’s decree dissolving the boards of federal parastatals, agencies, and institutions.
This information was released in a statement that was signed by Willie Bassey, the Director of Information for the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration & Control (NAFDAC) Boards are exempt from such dissolution, according to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation’s clarification of the directive on the dissolution of Boards of Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies, Institutions, and Government-owned Companies.
The Spectator previously reported that the dissolution order issued by Mr. Tinubu on Monday does not apply to 14 federal government entities.
Boards, Commissions, and Councils mentioned in the Third Schedule, Part 1, Section 153(i), of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, are also unaffected by the dissolution.
However, the statement omitted to explain why the two new extra agencies were exempt.
Affected health organizations
The National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD), National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) are the organizations under the health ministry that are impacted by the new directive.
Hospitals are not excluded
The boards of roughly 20 teaching institutions are also impacted, including the National Hospital in Abuja, where Olubunmi Etteh, a former speaker of the house of representatives, served as board chairman up until the announcement on Monday night.
The Federal Staff Hospital in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria, and around 21 federal medical centers (FMCs) are also impacted.
All activities that had previously been submitted to the governing bodies for approval, according to the president, should be sent to his office.
Additionally, Mr. Tinubu gave instructions to the leaders of the parastatals that were affected to do this through their respective permanent secretaries in their ministries.
“In view of this development and until such a time new boards are constituted, the Chief Executive Officers of the Parastatals, Agencies, Institutions, and Government-Owned Companies are directed to refer matters requiring the attention of their Boards to the President, through the Permanent Secretaries of their respective supervisory ministries and offices,” the statement said.
