Prof Joseph Ustev
The Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL) has written an open letter to Dr. Cheikh Tidiane Dieye, President of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) and Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senegal, as well as Prof. Joseph Ustev, Nigeria’s Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, demanding urgent action to restore peace, justice, and institutional integrity within AMCOW.
In the letter dated November 2025, the coalition expressed deep concern over the unresolved governance issues at the AMCOW Secretariat, following a petition by staff members in March 2024. The group noted that despite the Council’s decision to launch an independent investigation, the current Executive Secretary has remained in office and continued participating in discussions related to the case — a situation they described as a violation of the principle of natural justice: nemo judex in causa sua (“no one should be a judge in their own cause”).
The coalition urged the Council to use the 7 November 2025 expiration of the Executive Secretary’s contract as an opportunity to bring closure to the crisis by allowing the tenure to lapse without renewal. According to the group, such a step would uphold AMCOW’s commitment to accountability, transparency, and fairness.
CONYL warned that renewing the Executive Secretary’s contract could compromise the outcome of the ongoing investigation and further damage staff morale, institutional credibility, and public confidence.
The youth body further appealed to African ministers responsible for water, as well as the host authority in Nigeria, to ensure the position is advertised openly to allow qualified Africans to compete transparently.
The letter, signed by Comrade Goodluck Ibem, President General of CONYL, reaffirmed the coalition’s support for AMCOW’s vision but called on its leadership to take decisive steps to safeguard the organisation’s reputation and restore harmony within its ranks.
The letter:
Dr Cheikh Tidiane Dieye
The President African Ministers' Council on Water The Hon Minister of Water and Sanitation Senegal
Republic of Senegal
Attention:
Prof Joseph Ustev
Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation
Nigeria
Honourable Minister,
OPEN LETTER REQUESTING THE RESTORATION OF PEACE, JUSTICE, AND INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRITY WITHIN AMCOW
We, the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL), respectfully write to draw the Honourable Minister’s attention once again to the unresolved governance concerns at the Secretariat of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), arising from the petition submitted by members of staff in March 2024.
We respectfully recall our earlier press statement issued on 14th August, 2025 and published in New Telegraph and Thisday Newspapers, in which we called for the advertisement of the position of Executive Secretary (ES). We further reference our subsequent publication of 27th September, 2025 in New Telegraph and Machalice Television NG, wherein we highlighted the adverse implications of the conduct of the current Executive Secretary on the welfare of affected staff members and the effective delivery of AMCOW’s programmes.
It is also pertinent to reiterate that following the petition and the Council’s decision to initiate an independent investigation, the Executive Secretary has remained in office and continued to participate actively in discussions concerning the matter. This situation, respectfully, contravenes the foundational principle of justice: nemo judex in causa sua—that no individual should preside over matters in which he has an interest. We have been reliably informed that this continued involvement has, in some instances, unduly influenced processes, delayed certain aspects of the investigation, and created an atmosphere that compromises objectivity and institutional fairness.
In light of these circumstances, we most respectfully urge the Council to consider the imminent expiration of the Executive Secretary’s contract on 7 November 2025 as an opportunity to bring closure to this matter in the interest of peace, organisational stability, and institutional credibility. Allowing the contract to lapse naturally—without renewal—will help preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigative process and signal AMCOW’s commitment to justice and accountability.
Honourable Minister, we wish to underscore that renewing the Executive Secretary’s contract at this critical juncture may inadvertently empower the incumbent to influence, delay, or hinder the implementation of any recommendations that may arise from the independent investigation. Such an outcome would undermine the resources, efforts, and goodwill invested in the fact-finding process and may further erode staff morale and confidence in the institution’s governance.
As a continental and globally recognised intergovernmental organisation, AMCOW carries an important obligation to uphold the highest standards of accountability, transparency, and ethical governance—particularly in the eyes of its Member States, development partners, and the broader water sector community.
We therefore respectfully appeal to the Ministers responsible for water across Africa, and in particular to the AMCOW President and the host authority, to give due consideration to the legitimate concerns expressed by AMCOW’s host community. We urge that the ES be allowed to conclude his service upon the expiry of his current tenure on 7 November 2025, and that the position be duly advertised to allow qualified Africans from across the continent to compete transparently.
We are confident that AMCOW, with the support of the host Ministry, can constitute an interim administrative arrangement to ensure continuity of operations until a substantive Executive Secretary is recruited and appointed in accordance with established procedures.
The Coalition remains committed to supporting the Honourable Minister and the Council in safeguarding AMCOW’s reputation and ensuring that this matter is resolved in a manner that reinforces peace, justice, and institutional stability.
Respectfully,
Comrade Goodluck Ibem
President General, Coalition of the Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL).
Cc: AMCOW General Assembly.
Cc: AMCOW Executive Committee.
Cc: AMCOW Technical Advisory Committee
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