Association Rejects Appointment Of Perm Sec In Edo

Controversy have continued to trail the decision of Edo State Governor, Comrade Adam Oshiomhole over the appointment of a retired Military Officer as a Permanent Secretary into the State Civil Service.

In a statement, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN)  signed by its Secretary General,  Comrade Bashir Lawal said such appointment by the Edo State Governor contravenes the relevant provision of the 1999 constitution on appointment of  civil servant.

Comrade Lawal said that the appointment contravenes Section 208 Subsection 2 of the constitution on appointment of Civil Servants.

He said “the appointment of a retired Military Officer as permanent secretary breaches the provision of the constitution. You can only appoint qualified civil servants as permanent secretaries”.

He said the Union Leadership has urged the Comrade Governor to reverse the appointment in order not to promote the culture of impunity adding that the Union had invited the governor for a roundtable meeting without success.

The Union Secretary said that civil servants in Edo State were disappointed about the appointment and the recent sacked of their colleagues by the government.

The Union’s scribe further warned of a nation-wide strike or court action if Governor Adams Oshiomhole failed to reverse the appointment of the retired military officer as permanent secretary in the state.

The governor has recently sacked 22 Chief Inspectors of Education and 19 Local Education Secretaries for not being on their duty posts as at the time the governor paid unscheduled visits to their respective schools.

Meanwhile, ASCSN’s General Secretary Comrade Bashir Lawal has advised the Federal Government to ensure a genuine restructuring of the civil service for an effective public service system.

Comrade Lawal said that only a genuine reform would help the government to achieve its planned review of the vision and mission in the public service.

He said “there should be new ideas to enhance capacity to deliver public services stressing that restructuring should not be a way to embezzle government fund.

He said “in the past consultant had used reform or restructuring to make money from civil service without any impact, stressing that it should no longer be like that.

Comrade Lawal said that it was regrettable that civil servants would not be able to disclose corrupt cases because of the fear of being sacked.