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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Ten civil society organisations under the aegis of the Civil Society Forum of Nigeria (CSFN), on Wednesday, described those protesting against reforms in the civil service as ghost workers.
The group’s Convener, Adeniran Taiwo, told journalists in Abuja, that a protest by a rival group was not only malicious but against the tenents of good governance
Taiwo said, “it is on record, that the Federal Civil Service under the current leadership has witnessed many remarkable achievements.
“Most prominent among these is the great work being done to transform the service from a paper-based system of administration to one that is driven by technology.
“We also acknowledge the work done by the Administration on the upward review of Duty Tour Allowances which is benefiting all civil servants and by extension their families and Nigerians.
“This is in addition to the implementation of Insurance cover for Public Servants through the Federal Government Group Life Assurance scheme for the years 2021-2022 and also the introduction of Performance Management System in the civil service.
“The administration has also taken bold steps in ensuring that it is not business as usual for ghost workers because a lot of work has been done to sanitize the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System known as
I.P.P.I.S, and to flush them out of the system because of their activities which have eaten deep into the national treasury.
“We are not quick to forget how the Administration through the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation detected a huge number of fake letters of appointment in some Ministries and subsequently took proactive measures to purge them out of the system.
“We therefore commend the government for not relenting in its determination to maintain a transparent and uncompromised I.P.P.I.S platform that will rid the system of infiltrations by unwanted elements, reduce personnel cost and enhance economic planning among other benefits.
“Just last week, we got to know through the media, how young officers in the Nigeria Public Service are being encouraged to take up leadership roles through a Public
“Leadership Programme offered by the University of Oxford in collaboration with the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation. These and many other giant strides of the administration must be lauded.
“Now, further to our opening statement, we are aware that the malicious activities of the Coalition of Civil Societies for Equity, Justice and Good Governance are being sponsored by anti-change proponents within and outside the civil service who are no longer able to benefit from the formerly weak and compromised structures within the service.
“As a result, and in a very desperate attempt to destabilize the laudable milestones recorded by the Buhari administration in the public sector, the miscreants cook-up and peddle lies and all manner of falsehood to bring the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation to disrepute.
“This is highly unprofessional and we also use this medium to caution the group and their sponsors to repent from their baseless and self-serving activities which are tantamount to sabotage.”
He added that, “the Civil Society Forum of Nigeria in collaboration with its ally-Civil Society Organizations, will continue to check and resist the anti-change schemes by the group or any other entity which attempts to engage in activities that would make a mockery of the third sector. This we certainly will not tolerate.
“Therefore, it is in the light of the above, and as a joint coalition of Civil Society Organizations, that we urge the administration not to relent in the implementation of current reforms in the Nigeria civil service for the continued transformation of the public service and the enhancement of service delivery for the development of Nigeria.
“The Civil Society Forum of Nigeria in collaboration with its partner-CSOs once again appreciates the attendance of the vibrant Nigerian media at this briefing. Thank you and may God bless Nigeria.”
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