From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
About 68 Directors on Grade Level 16, serving in the 17 local governments of Abia State are to compulsorily retire from service, which will be effective December 2024 and January 2025.
The retirement was sequel to a circular by the Local Government Service Commission (LGSC) addressed to the Heads of Service (HoS) in all the 17 local governments, reminding them of the letter from the State HoS concerning retirement.
In the circular No.LGSC/AD/36/Vol.XVI/493, dated October 15, 2024, signed by the Permanent Secretary of LGSC, Judith Ezinne Ngakwe, the 68 effected officers were directed to proceed on compulsory pre-retirement leave immediately.
“This directive is in line with the Abia State Tenure Policy for all Heads of Service and Directors, who have served in their positions for four or eight years as the case may be as well as officers who are due for retirement,” the circular said.
According to the circular, the directors, many of who are Heads of Service (HoS), acting HoS in the LGs were compelled to proceed on three months “pre-retirement leave with immediate effect” between September and October, making it mandatory for their services to be terminated by December, 2024/January, 2025.
However, some of the officers appear not ready to go as some of the effected directors said they were ordinarily not due for retirement by the time they were being asked to go.
“Most of us in the list compiled for the so-called retirement have not attained the eight years tenure in our present positions, so we’re seeing a political undertone to the entire exercise,” said one of the directors.
Not withstanding, the government is insisting the affected officers would leave the service on the date stated against them.
Otti while speaking during his November parley with journalists in Umuahia said the policy being implemented by his administration had been in place before now.
“If you have stayed as a director for eight years, you must go,” he insisted.
“Retirement is not a death sentence. One can even retire voluntarily,” the governor said, recalling how he voluntarily retired from the banking sector.