Tensions are mounting over the timing of the selection process of sixteen federal permanent secretaries by the office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan.
In fact, the execution of the exercise, with the enabling circulars of May 6, 2020, HCSF/CMO/AOD/ 012/VI/32 and 33, are said to be masterminded by some influential staff in the office of HOSF, who are bent on reaping financial benefits within the shortest possible period.
But, the exercise to replace retiring and or retired permanent secretaries, have set tongues wagging about the timing and appropriateness of the exercise, particularly, now that the federal government is preoccupied with resolving issues of the Covid-19 pandemic like social distancing and lockdown in some states and the federal capital territory Abuja.
More worrisome, according to the concerned civil servants is why the exercise should be held now at a time that the federal government is bent on reducing cost of governance through implementation of the Steve Oronsaye report.
It was gathered that the exercise covering the states including Abia, Adamawa, Anamnra, Cross River, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara are being championed by some staff for pecuniary interests and are bent on executing the project urgently.
In fact, one of the arrowheads, a senior staff in the office of the Head of service of the federation, due for retirement in July is believed to be championing the exercise for the financial benefits as government is said to have earmarked substantial amount of funds for the exercise.
”He sees the project as his final opportunity to enjoy the pecs and largess before he nows out in July, seeing huge funds earmarked for the exercise and some associated unquantifiable benefits,” a top civil servant said.
The selection process which is categorized into three stages with stage one for written examination on relevant public service and policy, stage two, Information and Communications Technology Assessment Test and final stage involving oral interviews/interactive session, will run from Monday 11 May to Tuesday, June 9, 2020.
Specifically, the third stage is scheduled for between Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 June, 2020. The exercise, according to the circular is for ‘only officers in the main stream of the federal Civil service, who attained the substantive rank of director on salary grade level 17 on or before January 1, 2018, and who have updated their records with ippis verification portal.’
Part of the circular signed by Yemi-Esan, says the exercise is’ Further to the call circular with Ref: No HCSF/CMO/AOD/012/vol. V1/17 dated 23rd March 2020 (available on the OHCSF website).
But sources close to the office, who pleaded anonymity are querring the urgency in the exercise other than the financial benefits to be derived by a senior official going on retirement a couple of weeks from now.
Other stakeholders consider the exercise being at variance with the professed anticorruption stance of the federal government as well as admonition from the Head of service to staff to always adhere strictly to the tenets of transparency and ethical values.
” Subjecting some top civil servants to come together for a selection process this time around, amounts to double standard by the federal government. Why can’t the exercise wait for now with the disturbing rise in the number of infected coronavirus patients on the rise daily, ” says a top civil servant who also pleaded for anonymity.
To another public servant, “will the Covid-19 guidelines by government and other health agencies, including PTF for which social distancing stands out, not be flouted and will this not make nonsense of the stance of FG, even now that she and other state governments are weighing the option of complete lockdown?
With concerns and anxiety that the exercise has caused, workers and other stakeholders are watching with bated breadth what president Muhammadu Buhari and other agencies would do to stem what they term an ‘unnecessary’ expenditure at this time of dwindling economic fortunes.
