R
Rachel Okporu Fadoju
Guest
The All Progressives Congress, APC, transition committee has raised the alarm over alleged conversion of political appointees to full time civil servants by the outgoing governor, Godwin Obaseki, six days to the end of his tenure.
Naija News reports that the governor-elect, Monday Okpebholo, is set to take the reins of the state after winning the poll in September.
A member of the APC transition committe, Prince Kassim Afegbua, in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Benin City, alleged that the political appointees that are being converted to full time civil servants are Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants.
Afegbua described the act as wickedness and huge disservice to the incoming administration of Okpebolo.
According to him, 186 of such appointees were appointed by the governor in September 2024, thereby bloating the numbers of aides around him.
He also alleged that the outgoing governor has just commenced the process of absorbing another 152 aides to compound the problem.
Afegbua opined that recruitment into Civil Service must not only follow due process, there has to be a need for such persons who are so recruited.
The statement read, “It has come to our notice that Governor Obaseki is presently converting his Senior Special Assistants (SSA) and Special Assistants (SA) into full time civil service staff.
“Governor Obaseki, for eight years refused to recruit civil servants to fill up vacant positions and energize the civil service.
“He also refused to set up the Civil Service Commission until two weeks ago, in the twilight of his failed administration.
“We are alerting the public to be aware of Governor Obaseki’s deliberate engagement to stifle the resources of the state and pass on huge salaries and overhead to the incoming administration.
“This is not only a wicked act but a huge disservice to the incoming administration of Senator Monday Okpebholo.
“We have repeatedly stated the position of the incoming administration that anybody who is wrongly recruited or surreptitiously absorbed into the Civil Service, with backdated appointment letters would be relieved of his or her responsibility.”
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