CDHR accuses Adeleke, legislators of conspiracy to collapse public service in Osun

…Frowns at extension of service for retiring civil servants

…Adeleke is committed to observance of civil service rules — Governor’s aide

By Ismail Azeez, Osogbo

Human rights organisation, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), has accused both the executive and legislative arms of government in Osun state of a grand conspiracy to collapse the public service.

CDHR was reacting to the extension of service year for the Head of Service, Mr Samuel Ayanleye Aina and Accountant-General, Mr Rasheed Olalere Alabi, in Osun State.

The State Chairman of the group, Comrade Emmanuel Olowu, who addressed a press conference at NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel on Wednesday, in Osogbo, the state capital, alleged that both arms of government conspire in the bid to continue looting the state treasury.

Olowu noted that the Governor does not have the constitutional power to elongate the tenure of any civil servant, saying the idea of extending the service year of retiring public officers is a negation of the Public Service Rule 020810.

He said that extending the service year would encourage corrupt practices, promote nepotism and increase unemployment among the people of the state.

He called on Governor Ademola Adeleke to apologise to the entire Civil Service for acting in contrast to the Public Service Rules 2011 of the State.

He urged the Governor to immediately withdraw the three-year extension of service years given to the Head of Service.

He said, ‘’The beneficiaries of the Governor’s impunity are Executive Secretary, Mr Salawu Olatiloye of the Natural and Mineral Resources ministry, Osun State Head of Service, Mr Samuel Ayanleye Aina and Osun State Accountant-General Mr Rasheed Olalere Alabi.”

According to him, “We of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) are here to express our deep concern over the continuous disregard of the Public Service Rule by the Governor of Osun State, Sen. Ademola Adeleke.

“The Governor has demonstrated enough discontent for the public service rule by retaining the Head of Service, Mr Samuel Ayanleye Aina and the Accountant General of the State, Mr. Rasheed Olalere Alabi, after reaching their individual retirement age.

“While Governor Adeleke approved the extension of the service year of the Head of Service via a letter signed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye on 04/12/2023, we have it on good authority that the Governor has also decided to retain the Accountant General.

“We used the word retain putting into consideration the fact that the Accountant General who was to retire on March 14, 2024 has remained in office and continued to perform the AG’s duty, even when there is no approval for his extension of service yet. The Accountant-General is still in the office after retirement.

“The Governor has been acting with impunity; and the House of Assembly is also an accomplice in disregarding the Osun Public Service Rule 2011.

“CDHR had written the House of Assembly on the 4th of March 2024 on the need to caution Governor Adeleke on the bastardisation of the public service, and the need to retrace his step on the planed extension of service year of the Accountant General. But the House of Assembly decided not to act on our letter.

“We want you to note that the Osun State Civil Service is now in a state of crisis, while nepotism and favouritism prevails over competence, extant law and the general public service rule.

“How could the Accountant-General, who was to retire on Thursday, 14th March 2024 fail to retire and other permanent secretary who should have dropped their letter of retirement six months to their retirement age have also failed to do so because they are of the assumption that what is good for the HOS and the AG should be good for all senior cadre officers too.

“We note that there is a grand conspiracy between the Executive and Legislative arms of government to collapse the public service in the bid to continue looting the state treasury.

“The Governor should order all Permanent Secretaries whose retirements are less than six months and who are yet to submit their letter of retirement as stated in the Public Service Rule to commence the process immediately.

“Governor Adeleke should instruct the office of the Head of Service to communicate this directive to the civil service and also write to deny any plan to extend the year of service of the retiring Permanent Secretaries, including Accountant General, Auditor Generals, Surveyor General, Statistician General and the likes.

“The Governor should pronounce that whoever has reached the age of 60 or spent 35 years in service should go on retirement without further delay.

“We like the world to know that as an organisation, we will not relent and we shall fight the Governor’s aberration via all legal means, putting into consideration the effect of this act of stampede on the Public Service Rule.”

…Adeleke is committed to observance of civil service rules — Governor’s aide

The Spokesperson to the Osun State Governor, Olawale Rasheed, has said Governor Ademola Adeleke is committed to the observance of civil service rules and the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.

Reacting to the accusation of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Rasheed said Governor Adeleke governs with his eyes on public interest and remains committed to the ongoing reform of the public service and the sanitisation of the state’s financial management system

He said, “It is elementary in law and governance that the constitution is the ground norm which supercedes any state rules or regulations. That constitution empowers the state governor to make appointments into top public service offices alongside attendant powers.

“Mr Governor on assumption of office launched public service and financial management reform. The reforms are spearheaded by both Mr Ayanleye Aina (Head of Service) and Rasheed Olalere ( Accountant General). The reforms ensure emergence of permanent secretaries, right placement of personnel, promotion and integrity in state financial system.

“The Governor for strategic public interest and within his constitutional powers extended the tenure of offices of both the Head of Service and the State’s  Accountant General.

“Governor Adeleke is not the first Governor in Osun state to extend tenure of serving appointees. In the last 13 years, Governors extended tenures of permanent secretaries, Head of Services, Accountant Generals among others. The precedent exists already.

“We however want to reiterate that the Governor has not extended the tenure of any permanent secretary. The Governor had earlier declared that extension of service is not a policy but an instrument to meet subsisting needs of the state leadership.

“We assure the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) that Mr Governor, as the architect of ongoing public sector reforms,  is determined to pursue the reform to produce a truly professional public service,” he added.