Newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Postal Service, Tola Odeyemi, on Monday, assumed duty at the headquarters of the agency in Abuja amid some drama.
Recall that some aggrieved NIPOST workers had recently shut down the head office in Abuja to express their opposition to her appointment.
Last week, President Bola Tinubu had sacked Adeyemi Adepoju as CEO/Post Master General of the agency and appointed Odeyemi to replace him.
Adepoju’s sack as announced by presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, was said to be part of the leadership shuffle implemented for agencies and parastatals under the Ministry of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy.
President of the National Union of Postal and Telecommunication Employees, Mr Buba Nehemiah, while speaking during a protest at the NIPOST headquarters in Abuja,
said Odeyemi’s appointment was against the interest of the workers.
According to him, Adepoju who introduced major reforms within one year in office, should be encouraged to continue with his “good work”.
He added, “Sunday Adepoju should be allowed to continue the good work he has started. We are not against Mr President neither are we against the minister but our desire is that the good work of Adepoju should be allowed to continue. Removing him at this point would terminate these processes and take NIPOST back to square one, which we are against. We have over 13,000 employees here; once it is crumbled, it will add to the issues of insecurity in the country.
“Allow us to work with the person that has understood this organisation. Allow us to join hands with him to take this organisation to the level that it would generate revenue for the nation. This is our cry and demand. The only condition that can make us go back to our offices and work is for the appointment that was made last week to be cancelled.”
But the new NIPOST CEO, Odeyemi arrived at the office at about 1pm on Monday and immediately went into a meeting with the top Directors of the Agency.
At the meeting, Odeyemi reportedly rejected the chair offered her and opted to sit elsewhere.
She is the first female to be appointed NIPOST CEO.
