By Musa Isa Ahmed
About 11 out of 39 Permanent Secretaries are to retire from Adamawa State Civil Service in the next 4 months, says the Head of Civil Service in the State, Dr. Edgar Amos Sunday.
This is coming as the House Standing Committee on Petitions, Public Service and Electorate Matters of State Assembly on Wednesday met with the Head of Civil Service and the leadership of the state Pension Board on issues pertaining the welfare of civil servants and pensioners.
The Chairman of the Committee and the member representing Guyuk constituency, Hon.Adwawa Donglock, who led other members of the including, Hon. Ibrahim Musa Italiya (Mayo Belwa), Hon. Hamidu Sajo Lekki (Yola North), Hon. Shuaibu Babas (Fufore Gurin) and Hon. Abubakar Isa (Shelleng) met with the HoS and the Pension Board and deliberated on issues pertaining the welfare of civil servants pensioners.
Speaking during his Committee’s visit, Hon. Adwawa, said that his Committee thought it wise to embark on the visit so as to interact with the board and the Head of Service on the welfare of the pensioners and civil servants.
Hon. Adwawa, stated that the Committee is aware of the special attention Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, led administration accorded to welfare package of both pensioners and civil servants.
The Chairman assured them of the readiness of the Committee towards collaborating with a view to addressing some of the challenges bedevilling them, saying that his Committee is confident that with the caliber of people steering the affairs of the offices, things will be better for all.
Responding, the Head of Service, Dr. Edgar Amos Sunday, appreciated the House Committee for the visit and pledged to work hand in hand for the progress of civil service and the entire state.
The Head of Service informed the Committee that there are 39 Permanent Secretaries in the entire civil service, and that the minimum they require is 40, explaining that about 11 out of 39 are expected to retire between now and December 2020.
He said that 2 Permanent Secretaries will retire in September, 7 in October, 1 in November and 1 other in December, saying that the Civil Service will have a shortage of 11 Permanent Secretaries.
In anticipation of the gap according to him, they have scheduled to hold examination on the 8th and 9th September, 2020, respectively for prospective candidates who depending on their performance will be appointed to fill in the gap.
He said what his office needs at the moment is transport facilities as well as fairness in the spread of government offices including all tertiary institutions so that every Local Government Area is treated fairly and equally.
Civil Service, according to him, has rules that whenever powerful people interfere, it affects smooth operation of the service, adding that sometimes people feel slighted that their requests are not considered.
On the issue of secret recruitment, Dr. Edgar Amos Sunday, said there is nothing like secret recruitment to the best of his knowledge, adding that the issue of transfer of service has also been placed on hold so that the dust raised by those reversals is settled.
According to him, the office is also concerned about interference especially by politicians and other outside forces including traditional and religious leaders.
On his part, the Executive Chairman State Pension Board, Thomas T. Madi, said that the board was established primarily to administer retirement benefits to retired Civil Servants and several other activities.
The Chairman said that the salient issue of the board is the outstanding liability of gratuity of #18.226 billion and sought for upward review of monthly allocation from #50million to #350million monthly for speedy settlement of outstanding gratuities within 4 years.
The Board further sought for approval of the implementation of newly reviewed pension rate for pensioners in the state, a minimum of #7,000 as against the current #4,000
