By Friday Idachaba.
The Executive Director, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), Mr Abdul Miliki, has called on Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi to compel the outgoing Head of Service (HOS), Mrs Deborah Ogunmola to return all salaries illegally paid to her.
Miliki made the call in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen on Thursday in Lokoja following the appointment of Mrs Hannah Odiyo as the new Head of Service for the state by Gov. Yahaya Bello.
Miliki said Ogunmola had illegally stayed in office for over two years against the civil service rules adding that the rules provided for a civil servant to retire after 35 years in service or on attainment of 60 years of age.
The Human Rights activist said, “It must be noted that the office of Head of Service is not a political one that anybody could hang on to perform illegal activities and collect unjustifiable salaries.
“It is disturbing for some one who should have left office for others to succeed her to remain in there because she was not asked to go. What was she doing there after she attained the retirement age?
“While we congratulate the new Head of Service, we call on the governor to mandate Mrs Ogunmola to return all salaries collected during her illegal occupation of the office of Head Of Service in Kogi State.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Kogi had earlier called on the state government to sack Ogunmola, insisting that she had exceeded the required 35 years in service.
Mr Onuh Edoka, state chairman of the NLC made the call at the first annual regular trade group council meeting of Non Academic Staff of Educational and Associated Institutions comprising NASU, SUBEB, STTEB and Post Primary Schools.
Edoka had said, “Keeping the woman in service, when she would have retired two years ago is a disservice to the qualified and hardworking staff, which her continued stay in office has pegged or killed their ambitions of reaching the pinnacle of their careers”.
He pointed out that it was ironical for her to jettison the same circular she signed, saying “No retired civil servant would be given contract appointment,” only to still be enjoying the same abnormality she sought to correct in the civil service.
NAN further reports that the new HOS, Mrs Hannah Odiyo was Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Agriculture before her appointment.
Her appointment was announced on Thursday by Secretary to the Government of Kogi State (SSG), Dr Folashade Ayoade-Arike.
(NAN)
