DRAMA AS NAME OF DEAD PERSON APPEARS ON THE LIST OF NEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS PRINCIPAL OFFICERS FOR CONFIRMATION

Mild drama ensued today in Kogi State Government House as one of the promoted officer to the position of Internal Auditor for Kabba Bunu Local Government Area, Mrs Magareth Iborida was confirmed to have died two years ago but her name has been on the nominal roll of the local government till 9th of June, 2016. This revelation came up when names of the newly promoted officials were called for recognition and confirmation but Mrs Magareth was absent. Finding out the reason for her absent, it was confirmed by the Director of Kabba Bunu Local Government Area and the Administrator of the council that Mrs Magareth had died two years ago.

Responding to the situation, Alh Yahaya Bello who decried the politicization of the local government service in Kogi state by the past administrations said his administration will not condone such situation any longer and will do everything possible to clean up the rot in the local Goverment and state civil service systems.

When it was also discovered that names of some principal officials who served in acting capacity since January till date appeared on the new list, the governor called out their names and excluded them from being confirmed, noting that his directive to the committee was to come up with fresh names of senior officials of the local government as principal officials.

He charged the new principal officials of the councils to work in harmony with the administrators to ensure that only real local government staffers are captured in their records. The new principal officials include the DLGs, LGTs, Internal Auditors,Revenue officers, Cashiers.

With the urgent need to overhaul the local government administration in Kogi state for healthy competition, improve commitments and efficiency, Bello said the unified local government service system where principal officials are posted outside their local governments of origin no longer stand. He said all the principal officials are to work in their respective local governments of origin and by July, every local government worker would no longer be posted to another another Goverment areas.

Gov Bello said all the exercises are aimed at having a healthy competitive autonomous local government system that will be responsive to the need of the rural communities as all funds due to them shall be directly given to them.
Also speaking, the Chief of Staff to the governor, Hon Edward David Onoja charged the local government service commission to show more commitment and be thorough in the discharge of their duties. He said the situation of Mrs Iborida who died two years ago but her name still on the nominal roll of the local government was an embarrassment, noting that the acting permanent secretary ministry of local government and local government service commission should have known that Mrs Magareth has died two years ago if they were thorough in the discharge of heir jobs.

In her closing remarks, the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Folashade Arike said efforts are on to digitalized local government service system where names of all the staffers are computed for their salaries while in service and benefit after office.

©2016

Onogwu Galactius