Hundreds of workers, directors rendered jobless by Kogi govt

The Kogi government has confirmed the retirement of eight permanent secretaries, some directors and the dismissal of 1,774 employees from the state civil service.

The development was confirmed Sunday in Lokoja that the affected members of staff were served their letters signed by the state’s Head of Service Deborah Ogunmola, and the Chairman of the state Civil Service Commission Ado Shaibu.

The retirement was stated as being “in the interest of the public.”

Some of the affected permanent secretaries said they were contemplating legal action.
But the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Petra Akinti-Onyegbule, defended the action. She said it was a part of the ongoing reforms in the civil service.

According to her, the retirement affected only permanent secretaries that had served for four years and above.

“The retired permanent secretaries have been paid their consolidated benefits that accrued to them.

“Also affected are civil servants who have attained the special salary grade level 17,” she said.

The governor’s media aide added that directors that served for eight years and above would also be affected.

She said the exact number of directors to be affected would be based on the outcome of the recent promotion interviews.

“In order to get the best replacement for the retired permanent secretaries, directors who have been in office for eight years but who have yet to attain retirement age or maximum number of years in office were given the opportunity to partake in the exams to fill the positions of permanent secretaries.

“The result of the examinations which held on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 and followed by interviews is not yet out.

“Until the result is out, we will not be able to put a definite figure on the number of directors that will be affected by the compulsory retirement,’’ she said.

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She also confirmed that 1,667 workers with fake certificates were dismissed from the state civil service.

Those dismissed were uncovered during the screening carried out by the state government in 2016 and 2017.

No fewer than 107 other workers were dismissed for engaging in fraudulent activities.

Gov. Yahaya Bello has said now that the state borrowed billion of naira to pay up backlogs of salaries owed worker, some discipline will be in order in the state’s civil service.