The Rivers State Head of Service (HOS), Mrs Esther Anucha, has urged civil servants and the general public to disregard unsavoury reports published in some newspapers in the  state aimed at tarnishing her hard earned reputation.

Mrs Anucha stated this yesterday at a meeting with staff of the office of the Head of Service held at the conference hall, Point Hall Block, Secretariat Complex in Port Harcourt.

The Head of Service, who used the forum to formally announce her statutory retirement from the service in September this year, recounted the series of negative reports dating back to the year 2010 when it was falsely reported that she had been suspended by the governor for allegedly embezzling N1million gift given to each civil servant in the state.

Recently, another report of monies for Christmas hampers and falsification of age documents were dangled to embarrass, malign and discredit her.

Mrs Anucha described the report  as malicious and wicked, and wondered where on earth such things had happened before, that a governor would leave important projects to be executed which would benefit the masses to give N1million each to 55,000 civil servants who were on the payroll of government at that time, which would have amounted to a whopping N55billion.

The Head of Service, who said it was necessary to clarify these issues, pointed out that most of the local newspapers that published such false stories were not registered and had no fixed address, noting that she directed her lawyer to file a court action on the criminal and malicious publications but neither the address of the newspapers nor the publishers could be located.

On the alleged embezzlement of N175million meant for Christmas hampers to civil servants, the Head of Service explained that when the governor directed her to organise a party for workers as a platform to apologise for the delay in the payment of November and December, 2011 salaries, she suggested that a little purse be presented to them as well for Christmas hampers, considering the Yuletide season.

She said a committee comprising Permanent Secretaries, directors and members of labour unions including the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council was set up to plan for the party and a memo was submitted with a proposal for cash gift and the governor in his wisdom, graciously approved N5,000 each, noting that the records were available for anyone to cross-check.

On the age falsification report, Mrs Auncha said, “ I started work in the Governor’s Office and by the grace of God, I am retiring from the same office. My records are there in the civil service commission and in all the MDAs I had worked. I  have worked in the schools board, the Ministries of Education, Transport, Agriculture and in all these MDAs, my records are there for anyone to cross check”.

She said the state governor was very pleased with her office for successfully reducing the staff strength from 55,000 staff paid between 2008 and 2010 to 47,000 being paid presently, at the conclusion of the staff biometric exercise.

She thanked the staff for their cooperation without which, what had been achieved would not have been possible, and called for their continued prayers.

In their separate responses, the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare, Mr Lambert Ekwueme, the Director, Computer Department, Mr Ernest Chap-Jumbo and chairman of  the Association of Senior Civil Servants, Mr Jonas Okere condemned the erroneous publications and their sponsors; describing the development  as unfortunate and outrageous’, and expressed their continued commitment, royalty and support to the Head of Service.