Erstwhile Speaker of Plateau State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. George Daika berates Governor Simon Lalong over the suspension of 17 Local Government Directors of Personnel Management (DPMs), Directors of Finance & Supplies (DFSs), Auditors, some Directors and Cashiers in Plateau State.

PRESS STATEMENT

In every system, be it private or public, technocrats are required to drive the system towards attainment of set goals. They are group of people who play critical and vital roles in the growth and development of any serious system. Their offices are also not be jettison most especially in the public sector since they are career civil servants and not appointed politicians as the case maybe.

It is in this light that I wish to bring to the notice of the Executive Governor of Plateau State that the illegal suspension of the Local Government Councils’ technocrats for reasons which could be described as selfish is inimical to the growth and development of State Civil Service at a period of recession when technocrats are needed to advise best on ways and strategies to be employed to address the hard economic situations bedeviling the State.

It is rather sad and unfortunate that the Governor will continue with the impunity, illegality and misuse of power in order to satisfy himself and some few persons around him. It is no longer surprising as the Governor has clearly shown that legality is not something to be upheld anymore since he started by illegally dissolving the elected constituted authority at the Local Government Councils (Chairmen and Councilors of the 17 LGCs) some few months after his inauguration before the expiration of their legitimate tenure in office.

He didn’t stop at that, but went on to illegally suspend the 17 Education Secretaries of the State over what he termed “financial misappropriation” but later reinstated them when they were acquitted not to have misused funds some few days to the expiration of their tenure and later appointed new ones.

It has been revealed that the reasons for all the dissolutions and suspensions are because the Governor has constantly pressurized them to continually do his biddings not minding the ethics of their professions/offices. He also expects them to be card carrying members of the ruling party in order for them to retain their offices which did not go down well with them since the technocrats are career civil servants who work in line with the civil service rules guiding their operations. The Governor wants to turn them to be his political puppets that he can use at will for all his political manipulations across the State.

Since there is a Supervisory Department in the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs which plays supervisory roles on the Local Government Councils, it is advisable to get their reports on all the affected persons before any decision is taken and since the activities of the persons have been looked into and adjudged not to be corrupt or has contravened any existing law, there is no need suspending them.

This is rather unfortunate and impunity of the highest order coming from the Governor who should have embraced all employees whom he met since they were duly employed by previous administrations some more than 30 years ago. The precedence the Governor is setting is inimical to the growth and development of Plateau State and the State Civil Service and could equally throw the State into more confusion. We have heard of instances where retired civil servants who served the State with all their hearts are being asked to be card carrying members of the ruling party in the State before they are paid their gratuities and other entitlements, same goes to indigenous contractors that are forced to be members of the APC before they are paid the funds for projects they have fully completed.

The Governor will employ some people too or is he telling the people that when another Governor succeeds him he should do away with the staff he would employ during his tenure as Governor? Since governance is a continuous process, I expect the Governor to embrace all workers irrespective of whose tenure they were recruited, their tribal, ethnic and religious affiliations.

I therefore wish to call on the Governor to rethink and revisit the decision of the suspension as well as reverse it in the spirit of oneness and unity in the State, instead of creating tension and more insecurity in the State Civil Service. The Governor must see all workers and citizens in the State as one and treat them as equal since he is the Governor of Plateau State and accountable to all citizens not his political party only. People should not be traumatized unjustly just because someone wants his personal interest met at all times.

They are people who have served the State meticulously and contributed to the growth and development of the State Civil Service and State where some of them have served for more than 25years and will not want to end their careers with stains. There should rather be an effective reward system to reward them for contributing immensely to the State in their various disciplines instead of suspending them illegally for refusing to be willing tools in the hands of the present government and adhering strictly to the Civil Service Rules and their professional ethics as professionals and technocrats.

To me, the Governor is only trying to tarnish their hard earned reputations which they have built over the years for not adhering to his selfish and illegal interests.

It is good adhering to laid down rules and regulations governing all administrations than depending on personal convictions on what are wrong before the laws. If they are corrupt as the Governor wants people to believe, he should open up on full details on how all of them have been indicted by any report or their activities before their illegal suspension.

Rt. Hon. George Daika
Former Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly

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George Daika condemns suspension of LG technocrats by Lalong