By Taiwo Shobajo, Abuja.
Ahmed Idris Accountant-General of the Federation
Organised Labour under the aegis of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has vowed to occupy the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) in Abuja until he leaves office.
Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal, Secretary-General of ASCSN, in a statement on Friday made available to our correspondent in Abuja, stated that the Union had concluded mobilisation of its members in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, to storm the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation any moment from now to assist him to proceed on retirement.
The Union in the statement posited that the Accountant-General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris, turned 60 years on November 25, 2020 and should have vacated office on that day, but he had been boasting to those who cared to listen that he was: “going nowhere because he was close to Mr President, who facilitated his promotion to that office, and as such he could not be subjected to guidelines on retirement in the Civil Service”.
According to the ASCSN, Public Service Rule (PSR) 020810 states clearly that: “The compulsory retirement age for all grades in the Service shall be 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service whichever is earlier”
“No Officer shall be allowed to remain in service after attaining the retirement age of 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service whichever is earlier”
The ASCSN regretted that in spite of the very clear provision on retirement in the Civil Service, some Heads of Agencies continued to sit tight in their offices refusing to exit the service on the spurious ground that they had links with Mr President, and consequently could not be subjected to Public Service Rules.
It added: “that those parading themselves as President’s men might just be name-droppers as President Buhari, a disciplined General could not be encouraging impunity of any form.
“This negative report from the end of Alhaji Idris is particularly painful and disturbing because the post of Accountant-General of the Federation is a career one and it is strictly guided by the provisions of the Public Service Rule 020810.
“Moreover, there are about 200 qualified Directors in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation with requisite educational qualifications and vast experience to occupy that exalted office as stipulated in section 86 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended,” the Union emphasised.
According to the ASCSN, the 1999 Constitution as amended empowered the Civil Service to make its own Rules and that led to the formulation of the Public Service Rules, Financial Regulations, Federal Civil Service Commission Guidelines on Appointment, Promotion and Discipline in the service all of which are inseparable components of Public Service regulations designed to enhance efficient and effective service delivery to the citizens.
The Union posited that it could no longer accept such situation in which rules are violated with impunity.
