BPE Directors Petition Shettima Over Promotion Dispute

On April 29, 2026, a group of senior deputy directors from the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) submitted a petition to Vice President Kashim Shettima, alleging breaches of public service rules in the recent promotion of two junior directors, Saratu Gafai and Grace Ben Okezi. The petitioners, including Sanusi Abdu, Ali Omotund Balogun, Paschal Ogechi, Harri Iliya, and Saidu Kure, expressed their concerns regarding the National Council on Privatisation's (NCP) approval of these promotions on April 23, 2025.

They argued that the promotions violated established public service rules, as Gafai and Okezi were promoted despite being junior to other qualified deputy directors. The petitioners called for the suspension of the appointments and reinstatement of the acting director, emphasizing the need for adherence to due process and merit-based promotions.

They highlighted the negative impact of these decisions on workforce morale and career progression within the BPE.