Nasarawa Assembly to ensure fairness, justice in staff promotion – Minority leader

Faith Awa Maji, Lafia

Nasarawa State House of Assembly Committee on Public Complaints, Petition and Security has said  it would ensure fairness and  due process in the promotion of civil servants in the state.

Danladi Jatau, Kokona East and Assembly Minority Leader, who is chairman of the committee gave the assurance when the State Executive Chairman, Primary Health Care Development Agency (NAPHDA), Dr. Mohammed Usman Addis appeared before the committee yesterday in Lafia.

The minority leader said the committee invited Addis in order to  get clarification on a petition by Solomon Joseph Zhekaba, a staff of the agency of alleged  injustice done to him in promotion.

The lawmaker said the petitioner wrote a letter of complaint to the committee that the agency did not follow due process in the appointment of a Director of Primary Health Care representing Jenkwe Development Area.

“The petitioner said that he was the next person in rank to the retired director and wondered why the agency appointed his subordinate to occupy the position. The petitioner  said one Samuel Atala, who was his junior was promoted to the rank of a Director, Primary Health Care and wondered how somebody that has Advanced Diploma will be given direct admission to read Master Degree without Post Graduate Diploma in his field, saying that such certificates need to be investigated “ he said.

The chairman directed the agency’s  Chairman to expedite action on the investigation of Atala’s certificates in the interest of peace.

Addis, the Executive Chairman of NAPHDA said the agency obeyed the directive of the House by suspending the appointment of Samuel Atala as director of the agency pending when investigation on his certificate is concluded.

He said that the agency had written to the Benue State University, Makurdi on the certificates and was awaiting the institution’s reply.