In Nigeria we have fantastic written document to show our oneness as a nation. But the reverse is the case when it comes to policy implementation. One Nigeria is only a slogan on paper and with our mouths and not in reality as one nation.
In Nigeria, there is federal civil service under the jurisdiction of the federal government and there is also state civil service under the jurisdiction of the state government. That authority of the state civil service gives the state governor to act at will wherever necessary. The 1999 constitution does not give room for full federalism when it comes to state civil service. Everything depends on the decision of the governor who is on seat.
Chapter five of 1999 constitution, section 206, states as follows:
There shall be for each state of the federation a civil service. Section 207 subject to the provision of this constitution, a state civil service commission may, with the of the Governor and subject to such conditions as it may deem fit, delegate any of the powers conferred upon it by this constitution to any of its members or to any officer in the civil service of the state.
208 (1) power to appoint persons to hold or act in the offices to which this section applies and to remove persons so appointed from any such office shall vest in the Governor of the state. (2) The offices to which this section applies are, namely (a) secretary to the Government of the state; (b) I lead of the civil service of the state; (c) Secretary or other chief executive in any ministry or department of the Government of the state however designated and (d) any office on the personnel staff of the Governor. (3) An appointment to the office of the Head of the civil service of a State shall not be made except from among permanent secretaries or equivalent rank in the civil service of any state or of the Federation. (4) In exercising his powers of appointment under this section, the Governor shall have regard to the diversity of the people within the state and the need to promote national unity. (5) Any appointment made pursuant to paragraphs (a) and (b) of subsection (2) of this section shall be at the pleasure of the Governor and shall cease when the Governor ceases to hold office: Provided that where a person has been appointed from a public service of the Federation or a State, he shall be entitled to return to the public service of the Federation or of the State when the Governor ceases to hold office.
Does the constitution guarantee State Governors to sack career junior civil servants from neighbouring states serving or working in the civil service? Recently, the Governor of Abia State sacked civil servants from other state working in Abia State Civil Service. The question is, where is one Nigeria? That we preach with our mouth? The funniest of it all is that Igbo speaking states were affected by the sack. Now, one wonders the rationale behind the sack; is it to recruit state indigenes into the vacant positions? The civil servants from Enugu state who are affected by the sack are crying to their State Governor to absorb them into Enugu State Civil Service, to avoid untold hardship on their families. It is pathetic, It is undemocratic and suicidal, the action taken by Abia State Governor; no matter the reasons.
In Lagos State, one of the ACN is an Ibo man and one of the commissioners is an Ibo man. But Ibo man who is a Governor would not allow Ibo people working in his state to have a sigh of relief from lack of employment ravaging the country. What about Rivers State? The Rivers State Civil Service is under threat. Recently, Governor Amaechi showed sign of Federalism by appointing non indigene as a serving commissioner. In Rivers State even a non-indigene is serving as a permanent secretary. Would Governor Amaechi stand up and begin to sack non-indigenes serving in the Rivers State Civil Service?
Where are the rights of Nigerians enshrined in the constitution of Nigerian nation? Nobody can tell the Governor of Abia State that he has threatened the unity and integrity of Nigerian nation. Last year, in the United Kingdom, five Nigerians from Ibo extraction contested parliamentary election. And out of the five, three won election to the House of Commons, can that happen in Nigeria without rising of eyebrows? Now if other Governors in the nation imitate the action of Abia’s State Governor, what would be the fate of non-indigenes serving in other states as Civil Servants.
Indeed, the Governors Forum has a tasking issue to address. The Governor of Abia State, as a matter of urgent national issue should be told to reinstate the civil servants sacked from Abia State Civil Service by the Governor Forum if they are working for the interest of the teeming population. It is a bad omen. How can a Governor sacked Civil Servants on the ground that they arc from his state The fact is that if Abia State Government has burden, other states have theirs also. The burden of N 18,000.00 minimum wage is not a problem to only Abia State alone. It is hard, but it has been done without any sign of remorse. That is Nigeria for you. If you speak too much about the sack you arc in trouble with the ‘enders. But the leader often forgets that without their subjects or citizens that there would be no leadership position in Nigeria.
The Governor who sacks civil servants whose state origin is another is wishing a doomed future for Nigerians. If the constitution of Nigeria has given State Governors powers to appoint commissioners and permanent secretaries without and within, in the State Civil Service, they should do it with national interest ft is time to eschew act capable of causing labour crises in Nigeria.
Section 1 (1) this constitution is supreme and its provisions shall have binding force on all authorities and persons throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That is 1999 constitution for you. But in reality, is the constitution a binding force in implementing policies in Nigeria? Think of it! Fellow Nigerians, let us allow every Nigerian wherever he or she resides in Nigeria to have a sense of belonging. Say No to segregation, discrimination and nepotism in Nigeria.
Frank Eneawaji Ogwuononu is a public affairs analyst who resides in Port Harcourt.
Frank Eneawaji Ogwuonuonu
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