Woman pleads with IGP over detained son
Uncertainty still hangs over the fate of five directors sacked by the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) despite the recent resolution of the Senate that they should be re-engaged as contract staff.
PTAD is a federal government agency responsible for the pension administration of the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS).
PTAD sacked the directors over employment irregularities uncovered during a staff audit authorised by the Head of Service of the Federation upon the request of the Executive Secretary of the Directorate, Barrister Sharon Ikeazor.
A source told Daily Trust that on assumption of office as the head of the directorate, Ikeazor was inundated with requests from staff for the confirmation of their appointments.
A subsequent report uncovered irregularities in the appointment of the directors by a former executive secretary, Mrs. Nellie Mayshak.
The directors include; Godson Ukpevo of the Civil Service Pension Department, Uloma Uruakpa of Customs, Immigration and Prison’s Department, Taiwo Ogundipe in charge of Parastatal Department, Atiku Dambatta of Police Pension Department and Roz Ben-Okagbue of Pension Support Services Department.
“They were sacked because their appointments were done in error. The Head of Service of the Federation sent a team which talked to all the staff and examined their credentials and offer of appointments. The report of that team was submitted to the Minister of Finance who then directed the ES to implement it,” the source said on anonymity.
Daily Trust further learnt that the report confirmed that the affected directors were employed in error since they were beyond 50 years of age at the time of employment against a public service rule that prohibits people of 50 years and above from regular civil service appointment.
Similarly, the some staff redeployed to the Office of the AGF exceeded the duration of their secondment and had to be forced to return to enable new people join PTAD.
However, following a petition to the Senate by the sacked directors, the Senate has directed PTAD to recall and reinstate as contract staff, the five directors.
A letter dated January 26, 2018 signed by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Mohammed Ataba Sani-Omolori, addressed to the Executive Secretary of PTAD, said the appointment of the directors should be regularised by converting them to contract staff as that would not breach public service my son’s slippers which I bought for him some time ago. My son was wearing those slippers when he was arrested.”
She called on the Inspector General of Police to prevail on the Rumuji Police Station to tell the world what happened to her son. When contacted, Rivers State Police Command Public Relation Officer, Nnamdi Omoni, said he was not aware of the matter. rules.
Daily Trust learnt that the report upon which the staff were sacked confirmed that the affected directors were employed by the former ES, Mrs. Nellie Mayshak, in error since they were beyond 50 years of age at the time of employment.
However, the Senate, having considered a petition by Mr. Atiku Saleh and three others affected by the sack at its seating of January 23, 2018, resolved that they should be reengaged “in view of the fact that the nation is battling to have its citizens actively engaged in gainful employments.”
Efforts to get the official position of PTAD on the development were not successful at the time of writing this report but Daily Trust confirmed from the Directorate that the sacked staff had not be reinstated as directed by the Senate.
A member of staff said the Directorate was working on the issue, adding that resolutions of this nature were advisory and not binding but it was unclear whether PTAD would ignore.
It is still sketchy to determine how the action of the Directorate will affect its relationship with the Senate considering its crucial mandate of addressing numerous pensioners’ complaints that bother on issues such as non-payment of monthly pensions, short payment of pensions and gratuity, removal of names on pension payment vouchers, non-payment of harmonized pension arrears, irregular payment of federal pensions and non-receipt of pension after retirement.
The affected directors were employed in error since they were beyond 50 years of age at the time of employment against a public service rule that prohibits people of 50 years and above from regular civil service appointment