NIGERIA
A taskforce responsible for public sector reform in the Nigerian State of Bayelsa has made the “staggering revelation” of more than 8,000 appointments being inherited by family members.
State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson (pictured) said family members of deceased PS employees had inherited their positions.
“This, coupled with irregular appointments, arbitrary promotions and impersonations, has led to the bloated wage bill, which the Government is trying to reduce,” Mr Iworiso-Markson said.
He gave the example of the state-owned radio station (Glory FM), which had more than 300 personnel, while its private counterparts operated effectively with less than 12 staff.
In a separate development, the Plateau State Government is threatening to sack 155 teachers who apparently hold positions at different schools.
Chair of the Plateau State Teachers Service Commission, Vonjen Lar said the State Government had recruited the teachers for its secondary schools only to find they were already working at primary schools that were the responsibility of Local Governments.
“What these teachers have done is nothing but gross misconduct, punishable by outright dismissal,” Mr Lar said.
“They did not resign their primary school positions. How can you be working in two places at once?”
However, he expressed concern that if the teachers were sacked, it would leave the education system desperately short of staff.
“Can you imagine the crisis we are going to face in the primary schools when the pupils would enter their classes and they will not see their teachers coming to teach them?” Mr Lar said.
“This is a gross dishonesty; teachers are supposed to be people of high integrity, but for them to have started like this, is very unfortunate and worrisome.”
Abuja, 16 April 2018
