Photo caption : NiMet DG, Prof. Charles Anosike
The exalted position of the Director General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Prof. Charles Anosike may be hanging in the balance as lawyers representing Mr. Victor Awala from Kalepron Attorneys have served a pre-action notice challenging Anosike’s appointment as the DG of the agency.
The pre-action notice is in pursuant to section35(4) & (5)of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (Establishment) Act,2022.
The pre-action notice Ontimenewsng.com learnt has also been served on the Director General of NiMet, Charles Anosike and the agency today.
“We are writing to formally notify you of our clients’ intention to institute a legal action against you in a court of competent jurisdiction regarding the following matter:
1. Whether or not, in view of the provisions of section 10(t) and 10(3) of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (Establishment) Act, 2022,the appointment of Charles Anosike the current Director- General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, is valid &lawful
2, Whether or not the decision and action of the Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo SAN in recommending Charles Anosike the current Director -General to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for appointment to the office of the Director -General of the Nigerian meteorological Agency is valid &lawful.
3. Whether or not Charles Anosike the Director -General of NiMet is qualified by the provisions of Section 10(3) to be recommended by the Minister of Aviation Festus Keyamo SAN.”
It continued, “Our client’s intention is based on the fact that the provisions of Section 10(1) and (3) of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (Establishment) Act, 2022, which clearly provides the criteria and qualifications for the Director-General of the agency, were not adhered to. Therefore, the appointment should be declared null and void.
“In the circumstance, we urged the President to rescind the appointment of Prof. .Charles Anosike as Director -General of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) which he made on the 12th of December, 2023 and declare it null and void as he has no professional degree in meteorology or any other meteorological related sciences with at least 15 years cognate experience, neither does he have the 5years’ experience at senior management level.
The pre-action notice which was signed by Kasarachi Lekwauwa Kalepron Attorneys stated that they shall be seeking inter alia the following reliefs:
A, A DECLARATION that, in view of the provisions fo section 01 (3) of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency(establishment) Act2022, Charles Anosike is not qualified to be appointed as the Director-General of the Agency.
B. A DECLARATION that the recommendation made by the Minister for aviation, Festus Keyamo, SAN is null and void.
C. A DECLARATION that the appointment of Charles Anosike as Director-General of NiMet should be rescinded and revoked with immediate effect.
D. A DECLARATION that the decisions made by the President should be rescinded.
E. An ORDER of the Honourable court directing Charles Anosike the Director- General to return al salaries, emoluments, allowances, benefits, bonuses that accrued to him in his capacity as the Director-General of the Agency from the date of his appointment to the final determination of the suit.
F. And for Such Order or Further Others the Honourable court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.
“We trust that in the interest of justice, equity and good conscience the agency will do the needful as required, the Attorneys said.
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