Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP), Ekiti State Chapter, has absolved Governor Kayode Fayemi of blame in the sack of over 2,000 workers employed under the administration of his immediate predecessor, Ayo Fayose.
The group said the alleged circumvention of the law and the civil service rule by Fayose spurred the present government to purge the service of “illegal workers”.
CNPP appealed to the victims to resist being misguided by politicians to protest against government and cause public disorder in the state.
The Fayemi-led government had during its executive council meeting last week taken a decision to sack over 2,000 workers employed after the July 14, 2018 governorship election.
Speaking to journalists yesterday in Ado Ekiti, the CNPP State Chairman, Deacon Olu Akomolafe, said governor Fayemi had been magnanimous enough by overlooking some infractions committed in the recruitment exercises and promised to retain those that were employed between 2014 and 2017 when Fayose was in the saddle.
Akomolafe stated that it was a gross abuse of office and insensitivity for Fayose to have employed people into service and still being paid manually, three years after.
The CNPP boss added that the present government was circumspect of the civil service rule, which stipulated how a legitimate worker can be sacked, saying the step confirmed that those workers were not protected by the rule, being products of illegality.
He said: From the first term of Governor Fayemi in 2010, every Ekiti worker knew that what qualifies you as a civil servant is the biometric payroll and if you are not captured, you are considered as a ghost worker.
“A very large number of the affected persons were not captured on the payroll and this confirmed that they were not legitimate workers. Though, as concerned citizens, we are really worried by the plight of the victims, considering the economic hardship being experienced. But this shouldn’t be a basis for illegality in the civil service.
“It also baffled us that Fayose, who owed between seven and nine months’ salary and pension arrears could go ahead to employ over 2,000, few days to the end of his tenure.
“The affected individuals have got the best advice and opportunity from Governor Fayemi, who advised them to participate in the coming recruitment exercise to be able to achieve their dream”.
Akomolafe added that the whole world, including those who didn’t believe in Fayemi’s political ideology were aware that Fayose deliberately did the last minute employment to create landmines for the incoming government.
