Atang Honoured At Retirement, Hails Wike, Tinubu

By: Wisdom Acka

There was unending rain of praises when staff of the FCT Administration (FCTA) organized a send-forth party for Dr. Udo Samuel Atang.

By 3PM on Friday, the ample space at the car park beside the FCT Minister’s block, venue of the event, was filled to capacity as the staff and well-wishers came in hundreds to honour a man they described with many excellent adjectives.

Leading the savour was the Permanent Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretat, Dr. Baba-Gana Adam, who praised Atang his administrative acumen; saying he was leaving big shoes.

He added that his experience would be sought from time to time.

To the Permanent Secretary, Common Services Secretariat, Rotimi Ajayi, Atang was a quietential leader and an astute administrator with unparalleled wealth of experience.

Also, the Permanent Secretary, Youth Development Secretariat, Mrs. Nancy Nathan, commended Atang’s leadership acumen; emphasizing that remarkable growth and transformation of the FCTA was recorded under his guidance.

On her part, the Acting Director, Reform Coordination and Service Improvement, Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, corroborated past speakers on the personality of the celebrant.

Responding, Atang thanked the staff for the gesture and advised them to continue collaborating with one another in the huge task of developing and administering a capital city comparable to the best in the World.

Reflecting on the huge progress recently made through implementation of the FCT Civil Service Commission Act 2018 under the guidance of President Bola Tinubu and FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, Atang stated that the FCT Administration and staff have never had it this good.

He commended them for bringing back the hope of not only the staff but also that of FCT residents with the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ and performance, which has brought about numerous projects and positive structural and administrative reforms.

He explained that before the coming of Tinubu and Wike, and creation of the Commission, staff faced career stagnation as they could not progress beyond the level of a director; saying “but now all of you are potential permanent secretaries”.

Atang regretted that hitherto, lack of career growth was responsible for dissatisfaction, low morale and low productivity,

His words: “Previously, our career options were restricted, and the height of our aspirations was often capped at the director level; resulting in dissatisfaction among staff”; adding that the birth of the Commission now provides new opportunities for advancement.

Further expressing gratitude to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, for taking proactive measures in the reforms, Atang revealed the FCTA now has 13 Permanent Secretaries, besides the office of the Head of the Civil Service.

“I want to sincerely thank the Minister, who within just three weeks of taking office, recognized the challenges we faced concerning career progression and swiftly acted to implement the FCT Civil Service Commission Act.
This has transformed our career paths,” he noted”, he added.

According to him, the Minister also changed the budgeting system for the FCTA; saying there was no way the old budgeting system could develop the FCT of our dreams; saying “the result of it is the massive infrastructure you are seeing in FCT. We work as a private sector in the FCTA.”

The ex-Head of Service, who has already been appointed Senior Special Assistant on Administration by the FCT Minister, commended the staff for excellent performance in their roles.

He offered: “I’ll always be available to contribute my quota whenever I am needed, and I will also tap from your wealth of knowledge.”

Atang, however, apologized to anyone he may have offended in the course of his duty, “Due to our responsibility, we have taken certain decisions that may have offended you in one way or the other…to that I am very sorry.”