Ondo: Records falsification, Mimiko pardons 2, 200 civil servants

As part of his determination to put smiles on faces of the citizenry during the current festive season, Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, has approved the restoration on the state payroll, names of over 2, 200 workers who falsified their records during a recent verification exercise carried out by the state government.

Salaries of the affected workers, who falsified their age among other related offences, were withheld following their indictment in the exercise carried out in both the state civil service and the local government service commission.

The Head of Service, Mr.Toyin Akinkuotu, disclosed this in Akure on Sunday while briefing journalists on the decisions of the state government on the report of the verification exercise.

The briefing was attended by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Union matters, Comrade Dayo Fadahunsi and leaders of workers’ unions in the state.

Akinkuotu said those whose names have been removed from the vouchers will be returned with effect from December 2013, after submitting a clearance letter from the HOS office.

He said, “Affected staff members in the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) and Mainstream service still on payroll are to be warned.

“Those in the State Universal Basic Education Board and Local Government Service whose names had been removed from vouchers are to be restored with effect from December 2013, after clearance letters from the Head of Service.

“The intervening period is to be converted to leave of Absence without pay for the purpose of the continuity of their services,” Akinkuotu said.

The Head of Service said workers in the employment of TESCOM yet to submit their Primary Six Leaving Certificates had been directed to do so within two weeks, but with a proviso that “those who default should be formally disengaged after due process.”

He said,  “Henceforth, Primary School Leaving Certificate is to be presented compulsorily at the point of entry to the service and at the point of exit in the state while Inter State Transfer and leave of absence must be approved by the Governor based on the recommendation of the Head of Service or appropriate employment agencies.”

The HoS added that recruitment into the civil service in the state is now centralised and that approval must be sought from the Governor before filling any vacancy in all government agencies including the Local Government Service Commission.

Akinkuotu, however said that 262 officers have been advised to retire after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60 years, while 167 were advised to retire on account of 35 years in service and above.

He said the governor had directed that list of those affected by the post-March, 2009 appointment, be submitted to the HOS “for verification and possible re-absorption if found bonafide.”

He assured that officers who voluntarily retired but had yet to gettheir outstanding salaries from April to June, and the newly cleared but also having similar outstanding salaries for the three months, will be paid after authentication by the Head of Service.

Akinkuotu said the 400 workers who claimed to have completed their Primary Six education earlier than the government benchmark, will be re-invited for screening.

He said those who did not show up for the second stage of screening at the mainstream shall be suspected to be Ghost workers and their names be deleted from payment vouchers immediately.

Akinkuotu, reiterated that the intention of the verification exercise was to restore sanity to the system. He also added that a committee will soon be set up to verify all Grade Level 01-12 officers in the Mainstream Civil Service who were not covered during the verification exercise.

The HoS said the state would request for the list and document of the 6,100 local government workers alleged to have been earlier disengaged for the record.

He also said records of the seven SUBEB officers who were  said to be on Leave of Absence during the verification exercise would be requested and that their salaries would be restored  if found authentic.

On Inter-state transfer, the HoS asked the affected Local Government councils to produce evidence of Due process in the transfer exercise to his office, for clearance with the government.

He said the age falsification offence affected 56 workers in the mainstream state civil service, 71 at TESCOM, 453 at SUBEB and 1,431 at the local government service commission.

He said the respective employers of all the affected workers would produce their authentic list to the Head of Service for authentication.

He said while those in the TESCOM and mainstream service who  are still on payroll would be warned, salaries of the 1,884 in SUBEB and LGS whose names had been removed from vouchers, would be restored with effect from December 2013.

He said, “Clearance letters to be written to all affected workers  stating that the period of April – November, 2013 will be regarded as leave of Absence without pay for the purpose of the continuity of their services adding that the Head of Service would “convey these decisions to their employment bodies while the 632 staff yet to present their Primary Six Certificates at TESCOM, are to be given two weeks within which to produce them”.

Failure to do this, the HoS said TESCOM would be directed to formally disengage them from service.

He said,  “All Government Agencies, Commissions, including the Local Government Service Commission must obtain Mr. Governor’s approval before filling any vacancy in the Public Service of Ondo State.

“Inter State Transfer and Leave of Absence must be approved by the Governor based on the recommendation of the Head of Service or the appropriate Employment Agencies like Civil Service Commission, Teaching Service Commission, Local Government Service Commission, Judicial Service Commission, House of Assembly Service Commission, Health Management Board among others.

“Government, through the Office of Head of Service shall continue to exercise potent control over personnel policies and administration in all State-owned Parastatals and Corporations to prevent the pervasive abuse of personnel process in the sector”.

He added that Committee would be set up to verify all GL 01 – 12 Officers in the mainstream Civil Service who were not covered during the verification exercise even as he concluded that “Mr. Governor would meet all Agencies of Government on the new position of Government on personnel process in the State Public Service as enunciated above.”