What Governor Adeleke should know, As Osun Says No To Ayanleye’s Tenure Elongation

“In an unjust society silence is a crime” The ways and manners at which Governor Ademola Adeleke is handling issue of civil service needs urgent intervention of founding fathers, traditional rulers, the concerned citizens and even the labour unions. Although labour leaders are silent on the matter, abnormalities are now order of the day. Mr Governor and handlers of this government keep violating the extant law that guides civil service.

Setting the record straight, before supporters and those in the government will call for our head, the current Head Of Service(HOS), Mr Samuel Ayanleye Aina, was the the Acting HOS when Barrister Olowogboyega Festus Oyebade, retired at the age of 60. Governor Oyetola kept Olowogboyega in the service for his political strategy despite being officially retired as HOS.

It’s imperative to note that no HOS has ever requested and granted an EXTENSION of SERVICE in Osun State because it is an aberration. It’s the truth and you can verify this fact because records are in the public domain.

*Tenure Elongation: What Governor Ademola Adeleke should know*

Since the creation of Osun state, the State Public Service has produced the finest and world acclaimed professionals and technocrats who have in unquantifiable ways, contributed to the development of this state.

In spite of its imperfection as a human organisation, the inevitability of the existence of public service is such that it is guaranteed by Section 169 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and consequently, no government can function without the Public Service, which is the main machinery of executing government policies, programmes or law and order.

The most profound negative signature achievement of the Governor Ademola Adeleke administration on the State Public Service is the practice of tenure elongation.

The term tenure elongation is unheard of until the advent of the current Adeleke’s administration. Tenure elongation to a career public servant, is a dreaded term which refers to the extension of the period of service (at the pleasure of a governor) of a permanent secretary of a ministry or the chief executive of a parastatal or head of extra ministerial department beyond his or her mandatory retirement period from the public service.

Until the advent of Adeleke’s government, tenure elongation for career officers was unheard of in the state civil service .It is therefore pertinent to highlight some grey areas; That all career appointments from junior cadres to directorate cadres (GL 01 – 17) into the public service, are in accordance with the Public Service Rules (PSR); regulations and other extant rules as approved by the authority of the State Civil Service Commission or exercised on its behalf.

Consequently, any career appointment must terminate on reaching the maximum of 35 years of service or on reaching 60 years of age, whichever comes first. In accordance with item Rule No. 020810 (i) and (ii) of the Public Service Rules (PSR) (2008), “The compulsory retirement age for all grades in the service shall be 60 years or 35 years in pensionable service, whichever is earlier. No officer shall be allowed to remain in service after attaining the retirement age of 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service, whichever is earlier.

However, on the other hand, the power to appoint career officers into the top leadership positions in ministries, extra-ministerial departments, parastatals is vested in the Governor in consultation with the State Public Service Commission as per the provisions of Section 171, Subsection 2(d) of the 1999 Federal Constitution of Nigeria (as amended).

The rationale behind this provision is to prevent the politicization of the public service and guarantee its neutrality and at the same time engendering its loyalty and commitment to the policies of the government of the day.It is also pertinent to further highlight that as part of the ethics of the public service that strives to maintain its neutrality and its esprit de corps, is its insistence on a tradition of avoiding the creation of an unjustified or unmerited precedence that could spur tensions and petitions from aggrieved officers.

Having highlighted the foregoing, it is very apparent that there is no justification for Governor Ademola Adeleke to flagrantly compromise the laid down rules by resorting to elongating the period of retiring Head of Service and Accountant General on reaching 60 years of age.

As concerned citizens, we could not easily fail to observe the adverse effects generated by tenure elongation on the public service which are not far-fetched! It is an injustice to the public service as it jettisoned the hierarchical seniority principle thereby compromising the enforcement of discipline in the service. Parts of the problems it’s generating includes;

1. Creates stagnation and stifles career progression of the rank and file in the public service; It kills morale of career officers and by implications, dampens initiative, generation of positive ideas and productivity;

2. Entrenches politicization of the public service as the beneficiaries will be too willing to compromise the ethical code of conduct of the public service and thus, dance to the tune of their godfathers.

3. Entrenches corruption or corrupt tendencies as it gives a licence to the beneficiaries to engage in outright criminal activities such as budget padding or fake virement of funds to guarantee himself/herself a ‘safe landing

4. Many of young graduates will continue to be jobless since those who suppose to go on retirement will refuse to go.

A serious governor needs a reinvigorated and reinvented vibrant machinery of government that will fast-track the attainment of his objectives devoid of the usual red-tapism and all the self-serving tendencies.

PLANS TO EXTEND TENURE OF ACCOUNTANT GENERAL IN PIPELINE

Why we are still battling with the extension of year of service of the HOS, the state government is equally planning to give Mr Rashidi Alabi Olalere, the outgoing Accountant General of Osun State whose service year will end on Thursday,14th March, 2024, after the attainment of 60 years of age, there’s equally something cooking about him. We want to warn: Adeleke should not set this state on fire with his shenanigans through unholy extension of services for career officers.

Dr Deji Adeleke, the people of Osun believe that you are part of the unconstitutional behaviour of your brother, the governor. Remember you promised at the outset to always call him to order if you notice any unacceptable behavior from him.Nothing of such has been done by you as it appears that you have been you watching him perpetrate illegalities. We strongly believe that you know this is a matter of integrity.

Extending the SERVICE of the current Accountant General will make many public officers to be insincere, uncommitted and double dealings. Top and lower level Public Officers will engage in leaking government information.

The Accountant-General may want to adopt the same strategy created by the HOS by hiring his community leaders to demand that he should continue in service beyond the time provided for in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

As stakeholders, we must therefore, not fold our arms and keep quiet.Osun is our collective patrimony. We must rise up to the occasion. Therefore, as Concerned citizens, we recommend the following policy actions/solutions:

Governor Adeleke should announce the discontinuation and place total ban on tenure elongation policy in the Osun Public Service;

All civil servants who have had their tenure elongated must resign forthwith and go home;

Any officer or Chief Executive who enjoyed tenure elongation beyond the compulsory retirement period, must be surcharged or directed to refund all salaries, allowances and other retirement benefits;

The Office of the Head of Service of the State and the Osun State Civil Service Commission should be overhauled and reinvigorated with men of proven records of positive accomplishments and unassailable integrity, who could tell the truth to power.

Governor Ademola Adeleke should serve the state interest by adopting a deliberate policy of non-interference in the day-to-day operations of the regulatory organs of the public service;

Whistleblowers in the public service must be protected against victimisation and be honoured publicly;

Bashorun Adekanola Desmond,
For the Covener of Osun Concerned Elite(COE)
13th March,2024