Austin Oyibode, South South Buearu Chief
Some workers of the Bayelsa state civil service have increased pressure and attacks on the state deputy governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah and the special adviser to the state governor on treasury and accounts, Hon. Timipre Seipulo over the planned sack of workers indicted by the ongoing verification of the state work force.
While the state deputy governor, John Jonah, has continued to receive alleged threats through text messages, the special adviser on treasury and accounts, Timipre Seipulo’s office was invaded and poured waste on the floor of the office.
The deputy governor, who confirmed the development on Friday in Yenagoa during the monthly transparency briefing for February and March, 2018, noted that despite the threats those indicted for employment fraud and those found culpable during the next stage of the verification exercise must leave the service.
The deputy governor also noted that Governor Seriake Dickson has, however, approved that those affected by the proposed sack would not be thrown into the streets to suffer, “but be engaged under the present administration policy of smart governance and ensure that they continue to work for the state in different capacities.
“The idea that they will be thrown out on the street is false. Nobody is trying to throw anyone into the street but some persons must go. It will afford the state government the opportunity to employ young graduates.”
He said those to be removed from the civil service will be handed three months notice and payment of one month in lieu notice.
On the ongoing civil service reform, John Jonah explained that the present administration met a huge wage bill earned by the civil servants but decided to embark on reforms to ensure that those working should be on payroll.
According to him: “We needed to discontinue such acts and the salary came down. We have been working non-stop. We sent consultants to the local government councils. We introduced clock in, clock out policy. When the consultants brought their reports, new discoveries were made.
“The discovery showed that the best attendance in any of the local governments was 50 percent attendance to work in less than 10 working days. In some council areas, we can hardly get five per cent. And our idea is that they have to work to earn their pay.”
Jonah pointed out that though there is the need to educate the people at all levels, “government plan is that if you don’t engage in service properly, you don’t have business in service. If you enter you are getting younger in service, you don’t have business in service. That is in the past. We are doing everything on our own but it is according to civil service rule.”
He said those to be affected by the new reforms include officers who fail promotional examination three times on the same rank shall be asked to go.
Jonah explained the present administration is embarking on re-organisation due to the fact that the purse of the state is lean as “the money available to the state is not only to the civil servants but the whole state. And government needed to provide infrastructure.
“It is because when people don’t pay tax, that is why they think the money is for civil service alone. It is obvious that in the next re-organisation, people must go. ”
Earlier in his welcome speech at the event, the Bayelsa state commissioner for information and Orientation, Hon. Daniel Markson-Iworiso declared that the state has become a model for other states to follow, noting that “it is not surprising that media outfits including Vanguard has honoured him with award of excellence.”