REPORTS reaching the Federal Government have indicated that many of the outgoing permanent secretaries and directors have resorted to looting their respective offices ahead of their retirement effective January 2010.
Investigations by the Nigerian Tribune indicated that the government has consequently ordered discreet security reports on each of the ministries where some unwholesome activities are said to be taking place.
A source said that some of the retiring officials were insisting that the recurrent budget of the ministries and agencies must be exhausted before they left office and had also taken the decisions to backdate some approvals so as to pave the way for the convenient spending of the appropriated funds.Men of the State Security Service(SSS) were said to have been instructed to monitor specific ministries to enable the government to track unwholesome developments.
Though the officials are to retire effectively in January 2010, the government has insisted on the implementation of a 2001 circular, which mandates retiring officers to embark on a three month pre-retirement leave.
The officials are expected to complete their retirement issues and documentation during the period. While many of the officials are expecting to leave at the end of October, sources said that the government got wind of plans by some of the retiring officials to finish the fourth quarter allocations to the ministries and agencies before their departure.
Sources in government said mindless looting had started in some ministries, while others had only prepared the papers, pending the release of the last quarter allocation for the year.
As a result of that disclosure, the government is said to be insisting on the departure of the officials from October 2, 2009, while all their entitlements are to be paid till January 2010.
“The government will not be violating any laws if they are paid off by October, but they are expected to proceed on the mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave,” a source said, adding that the government would be saving the nation billions through that decision.
The 2001 circular which is being strictly implemented was signed by the then Permanent Secretary (Establishments and Pensions) Dr. Aboki Zahwa, on behalf of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation
The circular with with reference number: B.63216/S.1/X/T: CIR.1/2001/5, dated March 20th, 2001, mandates all retiring public officers to embark on pre-retirement leave, three months before the effective date of retirement. The three months are, however, to count as periods of service and the official will be paid for that period.
The circular, by Dr. Aboki Zahwa reads: “It has been observed that the mandatory notice of retirement for officers who are to retire on thirty-five (35) years of service or sixty (60) years of age has created some difficulties.
“The tendency is for the officers to continue to work until their last day in office. As a result of this, retiring officers hardly have time for themselves to put their records together. This situation has led to avoidable delays in processing officers’ retirement benefits due to paucity of up-to-date records.
“Henceforth, officers are required to give three months notice to retire from service. At the commencement of the period of three months, officers should proceed immediately on the mandatory one-month workshop/seminar. For the remaining two months, retiring officers are expected to take necessary measures to put their records straight so as to facilitate the speedy processing of their retirement benefits.
“For avoidance of doubt, the period of three months’ notice is a period of service. Officers’ salaries and emoluments will continue to run until the last day of the three months’ notice. The circular takes effect from 1st April, 2001 and also supersedes relevant provisions in my earlier Circular Ref. B.63216/S.1/X of 20th August, 1999.”
The Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Steve Oronsanye, had come under criticisms for the implementation of the new government policy which mandates permanent secretaries and directors to stay on only for a maximum period of eight years.
This has led to the decision to retire some 140 permanent secretaries and directors in the Federal Civil Service while a similar number will leave the agencies and parastatal agencies.
http://www.tribune.com.ng/28092009/news/news3.html
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