TheNewsGuru

Tag: Civil Service

  • Bayelsa govt. discovers 718 fake employment letters

    Bayelsa govt. discovers 718 fake employment letters

    …………..says no plans to sack genuine civil servants.

    Over seven hundred suspected fake appointment letters have been discovered in the Bayelsa State Civil Service.

    Already, some of the syndicates involved in the employment racketeering have been arrested.

    The Chairman of Bayelsa State Civil Service Commission, Dr. Peter Singabele, stated this after he received the report of the Committee on Verification of Appointment Letters inaugurated by the Bayelsa State Civil Service Commission.

    The committee headed by the Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Mightyman Aye Dikuro, was inaugurated in March, 2020.

    Dr. Singabele, noted that most of the syndicates operated with some officials at the Civil Service Commission and the State Treasury.

    According to the State Civil Service Commission Chairman, the syndicates are suspected to have collected money from unsuspecting applicants to facilitate their employment into the civil service, stating that fake letters of appointments were issued to them with which they allegedly enrolled as civil servants, thereby increasing the wage bill of the government.

    Dr. Singabele also said other syndicates, who are believed to be in the government circle were suspected to have fraudulently facilitated appointments into the State’s civil service using fake Governor’s letter head and signature.

    Dr. Singabele,said disciplinary actions would be taken after studying the recommendations of the committee according to the civil service rules of Nigeria.

    The Chairman has equally used the medium to assure all genuine civil servants not to panic over the fake stories making the rounds on different social media platforms that Governor Douye Diri was planning to sack Bayelsans employed by the previous administration, insisting that there are no plans to sack any genuine worker.

  • BREAKING: Gov. Okowa replaces 42-year-old public service regulations

    BREAKING: Gov. Okowa replaces 42-year-old public service regulations

    Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has unveiled the Delta State Civil Service Commission Regulations 2019 to replace the 42-year-old Bendel State Public Service Commission Regulations of 1978.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Governor Okowa, who unveiled the new regulations on Monday at a ceremony held at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Asaba, said the successful unveiling was another milestone in the State’s medium term development plan.

    In his remarks, Governor Okowa recalled that the Commission, in rendering it’s 2016 annual monitoring report, proposed the review of the Public Service Commission Regulations of 1978, which was then 38 years old.

    He said the Civil Service Commission Regulations 2019 took three years to produce, while expressing gratitude to the review committee responsible for getting the job done.

    The remarks read: “Today’s ceremony is another milestone in our march towards a Stronger Delta.

    “A strategic imperative of our medium-term development plan is the transformation of the civil service establishment into an effective, efficient, highly skilled, merit-driven, and integrity-based public service that is responsive to the yearnings and aspirations of our people.

    “Critical to the actualisation of this mandate is the development of leadership skills across all strata of the civil service as well as capacity building for the workforce for increased productivity and excellent service delivery.

    “Capacity building will remain a mirage where the principle of continuous improvement is not embraced and the operators are not sufficiently equipped with the tools and knowledge that they need to perform their duties, especially in a rapidly changing world that we live in today.

    “Those resources must align with current realities and trend for the civil service to effectively and successfully midwife the timely delivery of government’s policies and programmes.

    “It is, therefore, with a great sense of fulfilment that I received the new Delta State Civil Service Commission Regulations, 2019. I recall that the Commission, in rendering their 2016 annual monitoring report, proposed the review of the Public Service Commission Regulations of 1978, which was then 38 years old. Subsequently the proposal and recommendations from the Commission were considered and approved by the State Executive Council on April 3, 2017.

    “Hence, the Civil Service Commission Regulations 2019, which is being presented today took three years to produce. My gratitude and that of the other members of the EXCO go to the Review Committee responsible for getting the job done.

    “The Commission’s Chairman, Dame P.N.K Okwuofu, former Head of Service Sir Okey Ofili, and other members of the Committee, including retired and serving Permanent Secretaries, deserve plaudits for their sacrifice and commitment in undertaking this all important exercise.

    “The best way we can appreciate the good work of these distinguished men and women is for all civil servants to avail themselves of a copy of this booklet and equip themselves with a working knowledge of the regulations governing their work. I expect every civil servant who is serious about his/her work and really wants to be the best he/she can be to get a copy as soon as possible. There can be no excuse for not obtaining a copy of this handbook.

    “Meanwhile, this administration is irrevocably committed to sustaining the current policy thrust of strict adherence to due processes, prudent management, judicious allocation of resources, and continual appraisal of our structures and processes. It is our desire to leave the legacy of a public sector driven by professionalism, synergy among MDAs, efficient projects performance and zero tolerance for corruption.

    “It is now my joy and pleasure to unveil the Delta State Civil Service Commission Regulations (CSCR), 2019, for use in the State Civil Service and for the good and benefit of all Deltans”.

    Meanwhile, according to the Chairman, Delta State Civil Service Commission, Chief Nkem Okwuofu, the new regulations will be subsidised for every civil servant in the State at a cost of N850.

  • N-Power: FG clears air on plan to absorb beneficiaries into Civil Service

    Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, says the Federal Government has no plan at the moment to absorb beneficiaries of the N-Power Programme into the Federal Civil Service.

    Farouq, in a statement by the Deputy Director in the Ministry, Mrs Rhoda Ilaya, on Saturday, said that Nigerians should be wary of fake news about absorption of N-Power beneficiaries Batch A into the Federal Civil Service.

    “The attention of the Ministry has been drawn to the fake news trending on social media that President Muhammadu Buhari will on June 12 broadcast to the nation the absorption of N-POWER Volunteers Batch A, into the Federal Civil Service.

    “The Ministry is hereby calling on the public to disregard the message and consider it as fake news.

    “Any information on N-Power or the National Social Investment Programme will be issued through the appropriate channels,” the minister said.

  • Gov. Okowa appoints former guber aspirant board chair

    Gov. Okowa appoints former guber aspirant board chair

    Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has announced the appointment of former governorship aspirant, Tony Obuh, as Chairman of Pensions Board Delta State.

    TheNewsGuru reports the Delta state governor also has approved the appointment of nine permanent secretaries for the state’s civil service and the state’s Hospital Management Board.

    Information about the appointment is in a statement signed on Monday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Charles Aniagwu in Asaba.

    Aniagwu stated that the appointment was in line with government’s desire to rejig the state’s civil service and reposition it for effective service delivery.

    The new permanent secretaries are Mr Fred Edafioghor, Mr S. E. O. Dietake, Mr F. N. Anuku, Mr U. M. Aloba and Mr. L. O. Kekema.

    Others are Mrs A. Arthur-Prest Umukoro, Mr C. N. Akpatiakwachukwu, Mrs. G. A. Puegeren and Dr A. I. Pemu.

    The appointees would be sworn in at a later date, the statement read.

     

  • Breaking: Obaseki shakes up Edo Civil Service after sacking environment commissioner

    Breaking: Obaseki shakes up Edo Civil Service after sacking environment commissioner

    In a major shakeup of the Edo State Civil Service, Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has redeployed top civil servants across Ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDAs).

    The redeployments affected permanent secretaries, who were reshuffled across MDAs, even as six newly sworn-in top officials were assigned offices.

    Obaseki on Wednesday swore-in the six newly appointed Permanent Secretaries.

    The new Permanent Secretaries are Mrs. Oboh Usiriedo, posted to the Ministry of Water and Energy Resources; Mrs. Stella-Marice Imasuen, who now holds fort at the Ministry of Women Affairs; and Ms. Debra Enakhimion who is now at the Directorate of Establishments.

    Others are Mr. Bernard Oigboke posted to the Board for Technical and Vocational Education; Mr. Enabulele Ferguson, who is to resume at Ministry of Infrastructure; and Mr. Roland Ogbebor, who is posted to the Ministry of Finance, as Accountant-General.

    The governor also approved the redeployment of permanent secretaries across the state’s MDAs, with Mrs. Obahiagbon R.E. of the Ministry of Environment, now in the Ministry of Education; Emoedume B.I, from Government House and Protocol Unit to the Ministry of Environment; S. O Oko-Ose, from the Directorate of Cabinet and Special Services to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

    Others are Wasa L. A. from the Oil and Gas Commission to the Ministry of Communication and Orientation; Mrs. Aziegbmhin P. E., from the Ministry of Wealth Creation, Cooperatives and Employment to the Office of the Head of Service; while Mrs. Obayuwana I.J, was redeployed from the Ministry of Arts and Culture to the Ministry of Minerals, Oil and Gas.

    In addition, Omozeghian M.O. was redeployed from the Bureau of Lands to the Ministry of Wealth Creation; Dania D.I., from the Ministry of Physical Planning to the Ministry of Science and Technology; Omoruyi A.I. from the Ministry of Minerals, Oil and Gas to the Ministry of Local Government; Ms. Idugboe H. A., from the Directorate of Establishments to the Oil and Gas Commission; Abode C.O., from the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources to the Office of the Edo State Geographic Information Service (EDGIS).

    Also, Ms. Bazuaye I.E., of Ministry of Education was posted to the Ministry of Youth and Special Duties; Iyekekpolor M., from the Ministry of Local Government to the Government House and Protocol Unit; Aigbirio Samuel from the Ministry of Communication to the Ministry of Arts and Culture; Mrs. Olatunji J.I was redeployed from the Ministry of Women Affairs to the Directorate of Cabinets and Special Services; while Igberaese G. O, moved from the Ministry of Science and Technology to the Directorate of Central Administration.

    At the swearing-in ceremony, Obaseki tasked civil servants to be diligent and committed to their duties, adding “This administration is committed to strengthening the state civil service for optimal productivity. Civil servants should be ready to contribute their quota.”

    He maintained that capacity building and training for civil servants would be given top priority in his administration, as it will be used as criterion for promotion. “Strong institutions are needed to drive development and we are determined to fix our civil service to ensure its reforms,” he said.

    In a related development, the state governor has sacked the Commissioner of Environment and Sustainability, Mr. Reginald Okun.

    The General Manager, Edo State Waste Management Board, Mr. Aiyamenkue Akonofua, has also been retired.

    In a statement signed by Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq., the state government directed the officials to “handover their assignments to the most senior government official in their offices with immediate effect. They are also to handover all government property in their possession to the appropriate authorities.”

    In the statement, the government thanked the disengaged officials for their service to the state and wished them well in their future endeavours.

     

  • Kogi govt. retires 8 perm secs, dismisses 1,774 workers

    Kogi Government on Sunday confirmed the compulsory retirement of eight permanent secretaries, some directors and dismissal of 1, 774 others from the state civil service.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered in Lokoja that the affected staff were served their letters last December.

    The letters were signed by the state Head of Service, Mrs Deborah Ogunmola and the Chairman of the state Civil Service Commission, Mr Ado Shaibu.

    A copy of the retirement letter addressed to one of the affected permanent secretaries indicated that the retirement was “in the interest of the public.”

    Some of the affected permanent secretaries told NAN that they were contemplating legal action.

    However, Mrs Petra Akinti-Onyegbule, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Yahaya Bello, defended the action, saying it was part of ongoing reforms in the civil service.

    According to her, the retirement affected only permanent secretaries that have 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 aided 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 conducted for them.

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

    “The result of the examinations which held on Tuesday, December 12, 2017, and followed by interviews is yet to be 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.

    The chief press secretary also confirmed that 1,667 workers with fake certificates were dismissed from the state civil service.

    She said that those dismissed were uncovered during the screening carried out by the state government in 2016 and 2017.

    Akinti-Onyegbule also said 107 other workers were dismissed for engaging in fraudulent activities.

    “Kogi state government is carrying out reforms at different stages to reposition its civil service for effectiveness, efficiency and productivity.

    “The screening exercise which began in 2016 has since ended.

    “The reversal of the inverted pyramid at the civil service is another phase of the much needed reforms meant to ensure the civil service plays its role as the engine room of government efficiently and effectively,” she said.

  • How Nigeria can save ailing economy, revive dying ethical conduct in civil service – Ex-Georgian PM

    A former Prime Minister of Georgia, Nika Gilauri, on Monday advised the Federal Government to step up the Public- Private- Partnership (PPP), Tax to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) income and the anti-graft campaign to save its economy from complete collapse.

    Gilauri said the country must overshadow its competitors and use “out of the box ideas” to help the reform process initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    He spoke at the 2017 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Lagos.

    Using his country as a model, Gilauri said Georgia previously ranked as the 112th worst place in the world to do business but climbed to eighth place in the world after reforms were implemented.

    He said finding the right formulas in measuring performances are pivotal to the economic growth of countries like Nigeria.

    On the PPP, Gilauri said: “Depending on the right formulas, if PPPs are done properly, it can bring about amazing results.

    “In Georgia, we did a huge and successful healthcare reform based on PPP, in a small country like Georgia, it was an amazing feat.

    “It is hard to get Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in oil rich countries like Nigeria because of the perception of foreign investors who feel that such countries are wealthy.

    “For Georgia, we were able to lure investors by saying we were poor and in dire need of funding. Investments were one of the driving forces for the reform in Georgia.”

    The former prime minister noted that Nigeria’s tax to GDP income rate of one to six percent was “significantly low.”

    He added: “Nigeria needs to increase tax revenues to GDP by simplifying the tax process; this is something that I believe the Nigerian economy can improve because they are a lot of investments to be made in the country.”

    Gilauri said if his country which had gained notoriety for corruption was able to become one of the least corrupt nations in the world, Nigeria could achieve the same feat.

    “In 2004, we were the fifth most corrupt country in the world, in 2010 Georgia became the eighth least corrupt country in the world; there is nothing like innate or cultural corruption.

    “This transformation happened in five to six years. It was an amazing transformation and we have seen the measures the government of Nigeria is taking to fight corruption,” he said.

    Gilauri noted that Georgia’s anti-corruption fight was based on three pillars – outsourcing and privatisation, simplification and attracting new people by giving good salaries.

    “We tried outsourcing to get rid of possible corrupt practices, at a stage we even outsourced tax audits.

    “Government policies have to be simplified and you have to attract new people as well as give good salaries.

    “You cannot expect a civil servant to behave properly if he is not paid properly, so we introduced a performance based bonus system into the Georgian civil service,” he stated.