National Film and Video Censors’ Board: Confusion as Executive Director’s tenure ends

With four days to the end tenure of Mr. Adedayo Thomas as the Executive Director, National Film and Video Censors’ Board, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government is yet to announce his replacement.

The development has now created an air of uncertainty in the Federal Government agency.

DAILY POST had reported that as Adedayo’s tenure ends this March 29, there have been tales of alleged sleaze and victimization of workers.

Several workers and board members of the Federal Government agency had told DAILY POST that they had become frustrated over the alleged under-hand dealings going on at the agency, even with Mr. Adedayo insisting that he had run the agency with utmost honesty and professionalism.

For a better part of his stay in the agency, he has faced one probe or the other from different government agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, among others.

Workers of the agency, who spoke to DAILY POST, said they were yet to get any directive from the supervising ministry, the Ministry of information and culture, under the leadership of Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

The development has prompted the workers into writing a letter to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry.

The letter dated March 24, 2020, read: “This is to remind you, Ma, that the Executive Director of National Film and Video Censors Board- Alh. Adedayo Thomas, was appointed on March 30, 2017. This means that his tenure of office will end on May 29, 2021.

“In view of the foregoing, we write to remind you to direct him to hand over by March 29, 2021, to the most senior Director in line with the Public Service Rules.”

Meanwhile, among some of the allegations against the Executive Director are alleged diversion of N2.8 billion, harassment of workers, payment of DTAs and estacode allowances to staff who actually did not embark on such journeys.

But Adedayo had told DAILY POST in his Abuja office that he had run the establishment in a most transparent manner and was not guilty of any wrongdoing.

National Film and Video Censors’ Board: Confusion as Executive Director’s tenure ends