Audit Exposes 3,000 Ghost Workers In Rivers

The staff strength of the entire Rivers State Government
civil service is now 46,370, down from the initial figure of

L-R: Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, Mr Kingsley Kuku, Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulure, and Vice-Chairman, Committee on Niger Delta, who represented the Senate President, Senator Nurudeen Usman, during the public presentation of a book on ‘Remaking Niger Delta Challenges and Opportunities’ written by Kuku in Lagos, last Friday

49,000.

The outgoing Head of Service, Mrs Esther Anucha, who made
the disclosure in Port Harcourt at the weekend, said that this was the result
of the staff audit conducted by her office to check sharp practices in the
service.

Mrs. Anucha expressed
joy over her achievements so far, especially in instilling professionalism in
the service.

The outgoing head of service observed that one of her
greatest achievements was in getting the accurate number of civil servants
after the data collection exercise of last year.

According to her, “we now have a statistics that is not
found wanting. We have counted every single civil servant whether in the
mainstream or in the parastatal and we did a biometric taking their photos and
finger prints and issuing them ID cards.

Mrs. Anucha, therefore, charged all civil servants on
commitment and diligence to duty,” If not for my level-headedness I don’t think
I could attain to the peak of my career’’.

However, Governor Chibuike Amaechi has lauded the tenacity
and industry of outgoing head of service, Mrs. Esther Anucha, saying that she
has been able to take the Rivers State Civil Service to a greater height during
her tenure.’’

The governor gave the commendation during the State
Executive Council meeting valedictory session for Mrs. Anucha at the weekend.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government has announced of plans
to establish the state Public Service Development Institute in order to inject
professionalism into the civil service.

It also announced plans for a new Rivers State Board of
Internal Revenue as an autonomous body.

The state Commissioner for Information and Communications,
Mrs. Ibim Semenitari gave the hint while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the
20th State Executive Council meeting held on Friday in Government House, Port
Harcourt.

She stated that the bill establishing the agency will be
first endorsed by the House of Assembly while disclosing that the executive
equally approved reviews of the status and tenure of permanent secretaries and
directors in the civil service.

Throwing more light on the details of the review of some
aspects of the public service Mrs. Semenitari stated that henceforth maternity
and annual leave will be granted in accordance with calendar days.

She added that career civil servants who are appointed into
public positions shall retire from service, and continue to run the affairs of
the office, as failure to do so will mean the officer must vacate the office on
attaining retirement age.

Semenitari said the review could be amended by the House of
Assembly,’’ all these will have to go to the Rivers State House of Assembly. As
you know we have an existing Civil Service Rule’’.

Aside that, the commissioner said the council endorsed a
term of four years for permanent secretaries and a second term based on
performance, adding that directors will serve for a term of eight years in line
with the State Civil Service Rule of 2008.

The commissioner further revealed that the council approved
the upward review of death benefits and duty allowances of government staffers
in line with recommendations of the civil service rule.

The council also disclosed plans to embark on an affordable
housing scheme in order to boost accommodation for the citizenry of the state.