The Niger State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has debunked the alleged compulsory retirement of 380 civil servants over age falsification or alteration of date of first appointment as claimed by the state Civil Service Commission, CSC.
NLC, in a statement signed by the Chairman of its state congress, Comrade Yakubu Garba, noted that about 90 percent of the said 380 personnel were still on government payroll as at May, 2021.
He stated, “the forceful retirement of 380 civil servants on the ground of either age falsification or alteration of date of first appointment, information available to Nigeria Labour Congress suggests to the contrary, as about 90 percent of the said 380 personnel were still on government payroll as at May, 2021.
“For clarity, the Civil Service Commission on its part conducted investigation and believes the 380 civil servants erred, by either falsification of age or alteration of date of first appointment, but processes leading to their compulsory retirement have not been concluded, as the commission chairman confirmed to Nigeria Labour Congress that various ministries, departments and agencies staffing the 380 civil servants are yet to submit necessary documents to Civil Service Commission.”
The state NLC chairman also claimed that stipulated procedures were not adhered to in their purported compulsory retirement from the state civil service and as such it is null and void.
“Also, Civil Service Commission is yet to avail Nigeria Labour Congress with details of their findings as required by law, and until laid down procedures are followed to the latter, their compulsory retirement amounts to no issue and the same is null and void,” he said.
According to him, the chairman of the state’s CSC confirmed to the labour that the necessary ministries, departments and agencies of the said civil servants were yet to avail the commission the necessary documents.
Garba said based on that, the processes leading to the compulsory retirement of the civil servants have not been concluded.
He also explained that for the other 380 civil servants sacked for violating extant law, the process was started and concluded under last administration of Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu and did not amount to downsizing or rightsizing of the civil service.
It would be recalled that the chairman of the state civil service commission, Malam Yusuf Galadima had told journalists on Tuesday that 764 civil servants were dismissed in five years, out of which were the 380, over certificate racketeering after the commission undertook a forensic examination of all certificates they pledged during interview and the institutions they purported to have attended declared their claims as forgeries
Another 380 staff, Galadima said, were sacked for violating civil service extant laws.