The Head of Service of the Federation (HoS), Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, says the suspension of directors and staff of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is in order and in line with Public Service Rules.
Oyo-Ita laid the contentious issue to rest while appearing before the House of Representatives Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness investigating the activities of NEMA.
Represented by Mustapha Suleiman, a Permanent Secretary, Oyo-Ita said the Governing Council had the powers to suspend the directors and other staff of the agency if the situation warranted it.
The committee had invited the HoS to guide it on the procedure for suspending staff of the agency and to ascertain if the governing council had the powers to suspend them.
She explained to the committee members the disciplinary processes in the Public Service Rules
“Under section 4 of the rules, serious misconduct is specified as serious wrongdoing and improper behaviour which is inimical to the image of the Service, which if investigated and proven can lead to dismissal from service.
“It is contained in sections 03, 04, 02 which includes falsification of records, suppression of records, conviction of a criminal charge, bribery, corruption, misappropriation, embezzlement and sabotage among others,’’ she said.
She said that any indicted officer would be suspended and such suspension could come from the Civil Service Commission, Head of Service or the Governing Council.
Asked to situate the laws within the issue of NEMA under discussion, the Hos said she was not conversant with the mandate of NEMA Board but that the NEMA Act described who had responsibility over staff.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee had said the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, had written to inform the committee of his busy schedule.
He said the vice-president asked that the Secretary of the Governing Council, who was also the Director-General of NEMA or members of the Council present at the hearing to provide the clarifications.
The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu confirmed that the recommendation for the suspension of the said officers was given by the commission in its interim report of its investigation.
“We received a petition in December 2017 and we went into the investigation proper.
“At a level, an interim position was provided and that those whose evidence of wrong doing has been established to be suspended in order not to hinder the investigation,’’ he said.
He pleaded that the committee allow him to provide the requested documentary evidence requested at later date.