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Tag: Civil Servants

  • 2023: You’re barred by our rules not to be involved in partisan politics – HoCSF tells civil servants

    2023: You’re barred by our rules not to be involved in partisan politics – HoCSF tells civil servants

    The Office of the Head of Civil Service to the Federation, HoCSF has cautioned civil servants not to participate in partisan politics as there is a subsisting Supreme Court judgment barring them.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports this is contained in a memo signed by the HoS,
    Head of Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan and dated May 5th, 2022.

    In the letter titled: Clarification on The Provision Public Service Rules (PSR) Vis-a-vis The Supreme Court Judgment as it relates to participation of Civil Servants In Partisan Politics.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports the number one Civil Servant stated that:

    “The Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) has been
    inundated with requests for clarification on the provision of Public Service Rules (PSR) vis-à-vis the Supreme Court Judgment as it relates to participation of civil servants in partisan politics.

    ” In the light of the above, it has become necessary to draw the attention of all
    civil servants to the legal opinion of the Honourable Attorney-General of the
    Federation and Minister of Justice (HAGF&MJ) on this matter. In his letter. Ref. No.
    SGF/PS/HCSF/210/11 dated 26th November, 2018, HAGF&MJ asserted inter alia, that:
    “neither the 1999 Constitution nor the Supreme Court has authorized civil servants to engage in partisan politics. The provisions of Rules 030422 and 030423 of the Public Service Rules
    (2008 Edition) were not nullified by the Supreme Court, hence, they remain in force and binding on all civil servants seeking to participate in nomination exercises or party primaries”.
    He concluded that:
    “the provisions of Rules 030402(g), 030422 and 030423 of the
    Public Service Rules (2008 Edition) should be enforced … and
    that the attention of civil servants (be drawn) to the fact that the
    Supreme Court judgment in INEC vs Musa did not set aside or
    nullify these provisions of the Public Service Rules, hence, they
    must be complied with by any civil servant who wishes to seek
    nomination or participation in party primary elections”.

    “Accordingly, in the overall best interest of neutrality, harmony, integrity and
    development of Nigerian Civil Service, all civil servants are strongly advised to be
    guided by the provisions of PSR and the legal opinion of Honourable Attorney-
    General of the Federation/Minister of Justice on the subject

    See full letter below:
    HCSF/479/11/19
    5th May, 2022
    CLARIFICATION ON THE PROVISION OF PUBLIC SERVICE RULES (PSR)
    VIS-À-VIS THE SUPREME COURT JUDGMENT AS IT RELATES TO PARTICIPATION OF
    CIVIL SERVANTS IN PARTISAN POLITICS
    The Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) has been
    inundated with requests for clarification on the provision of Public Service Rules (PSR)
    vis-à-vis the Supreme Court Judgment as it relates to participation of civil servants in
    partisan politics.
    2. In the light of the above, it has become necessary to draw the attention of all
    civil servants to the legal opinion of the Honourable Attorney-General of the
    Federation and Minister of Justice (HAGF&MJ) on this matter. In his letter. Ref. No.
    SGF/PS/HCSF/210/11 dated 26th November, 2018, HAGF&MJ asserted inter alia, that:
    “neither the 1999 Constitution nor the Supreme Court has
    authorized civil servants to engage in partisan politics. The
    provisions of Rules 030422 and 030423 of the Public Service Rules
    (2008 Edition) were not nullified by the Supreme Court, hence,
    they remain in force and binding on all civil servants seeking to
    participate in nomination exercises or party primaries”.
    He concluded that:
    “the provisions of Rules 030402(g), 030422 and 030423 of the
    Public Service Rules (2008 Edition) should be enforced … and
    that the attention of civil servants (be drawn) to the fact that the
    Supreme Court judgment in INEC vs Musa did not set aside or
    nullify these provisions of the Public Service Rules, hence, they
    must be complied with by any civil servant who wishes to seek
    nomination or participation in party primary elections”.
    3. Accordingly, in the overall best interest of neutrality, harmony, integrity and
    development of Nigerian Civil Service, all civil servants are strongly advised to be
    guided by the provisions of PSR and the legal opinion of Honourable Attorney-
    General of the Federation/Minister of Justice on the subject
    4. The contents of this circular should be given widest circulation for the
    compliance of all concerned.
    Arrom
    Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan
    Head of the Civil Service of the Federation

  • Ramadan: Kebbi govt reduces working hours by one hour

    Ramadan: Kebbi govt reduces working hours by one hour

    Following the Ramadan fast, the Kebbi State government has reduced the working hours for the state workers by one hour.

    This was contained in a statement by the state acting Head of Service, Alhaji Safiyanu Garba-Bena on Wednesday in Birnin Kebbi.

    He said that workers were expected to start work from 8. a.m. and close at 3. p.m. from Mondays to Thursdays, while the working hours for Fridays were from 8. a.m. to 12 noon.

    “This gesture by Gov. Atiku Bagudu is in line with the established tradition of the state and in consideration that the reduced working hour could cushion the effect of fasting on civil servants in this Holy Month of Ramadan,” he said.

  • El-Rufai approves N1.3bn end-of-year bonus for Kaduna civil servants

    El-Rufai approves N1.3bn end-of-year bonus for Kaduna civil servants

    Ahead of the Christmas and end of the year festivities, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has approved the payment of end of year bonus to civil servants in the state.

    In a statement signed by his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai said all civil servants will this month receive bonuses ranging from 100% of monthly pay for junior civil servants to 30% for senior civil servants.

    The statement explains that the end-of-year bonus is part of the state government’s efforts to boost morale and enhance the welfare of civil servants.

    According to El-Rufai, workers from Grade Levels 1-7 will be paid 100% of their monthly salary as a bonus, Middle-level civil servants from Grade Level 8-13 will get 40%, while senior officers on Grade Level 14 and above will receive 30% of their monthly earnings.

    The 2021 end-of-year bonus will cost the state N1.382bn.

    In September 2019, the Kaduna State Government became the first government, national or subnational, to pay the new national minimum wage. The state also increased the minimum pension to N30,000 monthly for retirees on defined benefits.

  • APC asks Gov Ayade to fire appointees without party membership card

    APC asks Gov Ayade to fire appointees without party membership card

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State has called on the State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade to fire all civil servants in the State not carrying the party’s membership card.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports newly elected chairman of the APC in Cross River, Mr Alphonsus Eba made the call at a media briefing in Calabar on Tuesday.

    Eba, who is yet to be sworn into office, also asked Governor Ayade to fire all appointees who are yet to register with the APC.

    Failing to clinch the chairmanship position of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) before his emergence as APC Chairman-elect, Eba argued that there was no way civil servants and appointees in the State would be receiving salaries without registering to be members of the party.

    He said failure to register will result in mass sack while their positions will be filled by APC members, stressing that anyone who fails to register as a member of APC by December 31, 2021 would be relieved of his duty on January 1, 2022.

    Citing article 9(5) of the APC constitution, which he said bars members from taking appointments with the government of other political parties, he said it was compulsory for civil servants to register and identify with the party in power.

    A statement issued after the press conference, signed by Mr Erasmus Ekpang, the party’s State Publicity Secretary-elect quoted Eba as saying: “Non-members of our Party should not be given appointment in our Party in accordance with Article 9/5 of our Constitution.

    “The ground of the welfarism we think is not to bitterate the kindness and humanitarian concern of the Governor.

    “Here as a party, we want to make it known today, that all Heads of Government at Local Government level and at the State must follow the provision of our Constitution, with effect from 1st January, 2022, those appointees of Government that are yet to be registered and fully participate in activities of the Party shall cease to hold their respective offices.

    “We therefore call on Local Government Chairmen, who today have over 20,000 appointees of five persons per polling units to the 3281 polling units and on the State Government payroll, we call on the Auditor-General to take note that the over seven thousand to eight thousand appointees of Government who are yet to be registered in APC must be relieved of their appointments henceforth”.

  • Shehu Sani mocks Buhari govt: Declare bandits ‘civil servants’ if ‘terrorists’ isn’t approriate

    Shehu Sani mocks Buhari govt: Declare bandits ‘civil servants’ if ‘terrorists’ isn’t approriate

    Former senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani has urged the government to declare bandits as federal civil servants since it is becoming hard for them to pronounce them terrorists.

    Recall bandits and kidnappers are on rampage in the North West, killing and kidnapping citizens in exchange for ransoms.

    Reacting to the killings of Muslim worshipers in their mosques in Niger and Katsina State; as well as the killings of Christians in their Churches in Kaduna, the former lawmaker represented Kaduna Central District at the 8th Assembly wondered why the Buhari government are yet to declare bandits’ groups in the North as terrorists.

    He wrote:“They [bandits] killed Muslim worshipers in their mosques in Niger and Katsina State; they killed Christians in their Churches in Kaduna State; if the Government doesn’t want to declare them terrorists, it should declare them federal civil servants.”

  • Lagos trains over 30,000 civil servants in 2021 – Commissioner

    Lagos trains over 30,000 civil servants in 2021 – Commissioner

    Following the reform in Lagos State Public Service with regard to manpower and capacity development, a significant number of Public Servants have undergone training in varied courses since the beginning of the year.

    This affirmation was made by the Honourable Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Mrs. Ajibola Ponnle during a strategic meeting with the management staff of the ministry today. She said the number of those trained cuts across grade level, cadre, gender and Agency of assignment.

    Whilst stating the different platforms adopted for training which included online and physical (face-to-face) training, she revealed that about 28,000 public servants have benefitted from online courses whilst 2,500 have had physical (face-to-face) training stating that the figure excludes those involved in micro learning Webinar series.

    Declaring that the figure was unprecedented and marked a watershed in the training administration in Lagos State, Mrs. Ponnle added that it represented a dramatic shift from the previous arrangement where only 3000 public servants are trained in four years.

    She asserted that the introduction of the Learning Management System, which has a variety of learning contents with over 4,000 free, self-enrollment courses and 8,000 courses from the LinkedIn Learning Library, has brought remarkable changes in the training climate in Lagos pointing out that the intention was to drive radical change in the public sector to address capacity deficit, enhance efficiency and competence among civil servants.

    ‘One significant aspect of this programme is that it has made it possible to practically phase out low training quota in the State’s civil service which used to be 3,000 staff in four years prior to this administration. For us, it is really a game changer, and I think the beauty of the process is also that we are able to mandate public servants to do certain courses’, she said.

    Mrs. Ponnle pointed out that the figure could be higher because some MDAs compel their staff to undergo certain courses making reference to the Ministry of Science and Technology which since the middle of the year mandated 25 courses for their technical and non-technical staff.

    Whilst maintaining that training programmes transcend the entire spectrum and hierarchy of the State Service, she disclosed that some of those who have not benefitted from previous trainings have been nominated already pointing out that selection process was objective even as the courses are always over-subscribed.

    The Commissioner hinted that the State government is changing the style of training to workshop/experiential learning session in the next phase of training. The objective of that change, according to her, is to ensure that the participants really understand the key objectives of the training and are able to practicalize it immediately in their various ministries and agencies.

    “So the workshop style approach is basically to ensure that trainees are able to apply concepts learn at workshop in their MDAs”. She cited a workshop on writing job descriptions, where at the end of the program participants had to go back to their MDAs and develop Job Description for the core jobs there.

    It would be recalled that the ministry introduced several other impactful programmes during the administration of Babajide Sanwo-Olu and part of them include EXCO Shares, Executive Coaching, Conell/LASU partnership initiative and SHIFT amongst others.

  • BREAKING: FG sets December 1st Deadline for civil servants to get COVID-19 vaccine

    BREAKING: FG sets December 1st Deadline for civil servants to get COVID-19 vaccine

    The Federal Government has set a deadline of December 1 for civil servants to take the COVID-19 vaccine.

    Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, announced this at a briefing on Wednesday in Abuja.

    “With effect from 1st December 2021, Federal Government employees shall be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, or present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result done within 72 hours to gain access to their offices in all locations within Nigeria and our Missions.

    “An appropriate service-wide advisory/circular will be issued to guide the process,” the SGF said.

    He also revealed that the government has removed South Africa, Brazil, and Turkey from the list of countries where travellers have been restricted from coming into Nigeria as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Mustapha explained that the government took the decision to lift the ban following an emergency meeting held before the briefing.

    He also commended the United Kingdom for reviewing its travel protocols which allowed fully vaccinated travellers from Nigeria to enter the country without having to self-isolate after their arrival.

    “Over several months, four countries were placed on high-level restriction for travellers from such countries,” the SGF said. “The PSC has after a review of the developments in these countries, decided to remove South Africa, Turkey, and Brazil from the restricted list.

    “As you are aware, the UK has eased restrictions on fully vaccinated travellers from Nigeria to the UK with effect from 11th October. Nigeria welcomes this development and assures that the PSC shall continue to review Nigeria’s protocols based on global developments, science, and national experience. A revised protocol will be issued in the next 24 hours.”

    He alerted Nigerians on the forthcoming two major religious festivities – Salah and Christmas, noting that there would be increased passenger traffic in and out of the country Similarly and possibly events of large gatherings.

    Mustapha, who said the PSC would escalate surveillance and other control activities, urged the states and all Nigerians to increase their vigilance.

  • Civil servants ought to own their own homes – Osinbajo

    Civil servants ought to own their own homes – Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, says every civil servant deserves to own a home; hence the need to reform the Nigerian Civil Service.

    Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande, in a statement on Friday, said the vice president spoke after receiving a briefing on the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The presentation was made by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan.

    The meeting is a presidential level briefing of the reform process of the Federal Civil Service which has been on since 2017.

    The reform is being led by Steering and Implementation Committees with membership drawn from the public and private sectors with the engagement of development partners.

    According to Osinbajo, there is need to do something bold and big that will make a difference.

    “It is evident that perhaps, for the first time in a long time, some very serious attention is being paid to all of the various issues in our civil service.

    “I think that we should really do something that is bold, big and that will really make the difference in order to address some of the issues especially that of accommodation for civil servants.

    “We can do much more with mass housing; we have a target now of 300,000 houses under our Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) social housing scheme.

    “CBN has allocated N200 billion, but we have seen that we can provide mass housing, and we can make civil servants beneficiaries of the scheme.”

    He said though the housing scheme was very modest, it was the kind of thing that could at least be done to begin to take into account, the fact that everybody who worked for the civil service deserves to live in their own home.

    Osinbajo said that there must be a strategy for giving everybody a place to live in.

    “It is a vital part of what we are trying to do; we must address it.

    “A civil servant ought to be able to own a home, and justify to his family the reason why he went for the job,” he said.

    Citing his experience while serving as Attorney General in Lagos State, Osinbajo said reforming the Lagos State Judiciary was done like fixing the welfare of federal civil servants. This was key to addressing challenges associated with productivity and corruption.

    Yemi-Esan also presented a report on the implementation status of the Federal Civil Service Strategy Plan 2017-2021.

    She identified staff welfare, particularly remuneration and housing, as areas that require better focus and urgent intervention by the Federal Government.

    The head of service appealed for improved support, particularly in funding the implementation of successive strategy and implementation plans to overhaul the service for better productivity.

    Yemi-Esan said the current reform in the Federal Civil Service had enabled government to save huge sums through the verification of personnel payroll and digitization of some operations, among others.

    She said that her office would continue to lead the reform process as the 2021-2025 plan went forward to the Federal Executive Council for approval.

    The meeting featured comments and observations on the proposed plan tabled on behalf of the Steering Committee, chaired by the Head of Service.

    In attendance at the meeting were the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami, Ministers of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, and Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed.

    Others were Ministers of State for Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem-Agba, and Works and Housing, Engr. Abubakar Aliyu.

    The Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Dr Adeyemi Dipeolu, development partners, World Bank officials and the President of the Africa Initiative for Governance, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, also attended the meeting.

  • Information leakages: FG threatens to dismiss culpable civil servants

    Information leakages: FG threatens to dismiss culpable civil servants

    Emman Ovuakporie

    The Federal Government raised alarm over what it described as incessant unauthorised disclosure of official documents on social media and other platforms.

    To this end, FG threatened to henceforth dismiss officials caught doing so.

    The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, handed down the warning in an August 2, 2021 circular sighted by The PUNCH on Tuesday.

    The circular, titled ‘Unauthorised circulation of official documents/information on social media’ was marked HCSF/3065/Vol.1 /94.

    This is the second time the HOCSF will be threatening to wield the big stick in about one year having issued a similar circular in May 2020.

    the fresh circular, Yemi-Esan said her office would be relying on the provisions of the Public Service Rules 030401 and 030402 in dismissing those who continue in what she described as the “reckless action” and “unwholesome practice.”

    The circular read, “The attention of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has been drawn to the incessant unauthorised disclosure of official documents/information on social media platforms.

    “The unwholesome practice involves posting/reposting of secret, confidential and classified government correspondences, policy drafts, minutes, notes, memos, etc., on social media.

    “This reckless action is tantamount to a breach of the Oath of Secrecy public servants swore to, and a serious misconduct which may lead to dismissal from the service, as provided in the Public Service Rules 030401 and 030402.

    “Henceforth, any officer caught posting/reporting government documents on social media and other platforms without authorisation would be severelv disciplined in accordance with the provisions of the PSR.

    “This circular, therefore, reinforces the earlier circular on the subject, Ref. No/ HCSF/109/S.l/120 dated May 22, 2020 and other extant regulations prohibiting unauthorised publishing of official documents.

    “Permanent Secretaries and Heads/Chief Executive Officers of extra-ministerial departments are to bring the content of this circular to all staff for compliance.”

    Heads of government agencies who copies of the circular were made available to include the Chief of Staff to the President; Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Office of the Vice-President; ministers; Secretary to the Government of the Federation; permanent secretaries; service chiefs/lnspector-GeneräI of Police; and Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria.

    Others are the chairmen of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Police Service Commission, Code of Conduct Bureau, Code of Conduct Tribunal, Federal Character Commission, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, Federal Inland Revenue Service and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.

  • FG suspends salaries of 331 civil servants

    FG suspends salaries of 331 civil servants

    The Federal Government says it has suspended the salaries of 331 civil servants for failure to update their Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) as was directed.

    Mr Mahmuda Mamman, Permanent Secretary, Career Management office, made the announcement in a statement issued by Mr Abdulaganiyu Aminu, Director, Press and Public Relations, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF) on Saturday in Abuja.

    According to the statement, Mamman had signed the circular of the suspension on behalf of the HOCSF, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan.

    It said that the circular was addressed to all permanent secretaries, Accountant General of the Federation and the Auditor-General of the Federation.

    “The salaries of 331 federal civil servants have been suspended on the IPPIS platform for their failure to carry out the online records update of the HR Module of Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System.

    “And also, who failed to participate in the physical verification exercise. “This emerged from a circular ref: HCSF/CSO/HRM/T/41 issued on 9th June, 2021.

    “And signed on behalf of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan by the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Mahmuda Mamman,” the statement Added.

    According to Mamman, in spite of all the various circulars issued requesting employees of MDAs to carry out an online records update on the IPPIS verification portal, some employees in the core MDAs failed to comply with the directives.

    “As a result of this, they could not also participate in the physical verification exercise that was carried out between June 2018 and December 2020 as their records were not found on the verification portal,” it stated.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Human Resources (HR) Module of IPPIS records update exercise was initiated to rid the service of ghost workers, cut down government expenditure and ensure credible personnel records.

    The circular according to Mamman further enjoined concerned officers to report to the office of the Director, (IPPIS-SW) in the office of the HOCSF for further information andclarification.