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Panic as Abia Set to Forcefully Retire 68 LG Directors

Published

Saturday, November 16, 2024 at 08:11 PM

Written by Omotola Adeleke

Panic as Abia Set to Forcefully Retire 68 LG Directors

Fear has gripped Abia workers as the state allegedly plans to compulsorily retire local government directors, sparking uncertainty about their future.

At least 68 Directors on Grade Level 16 across the 17 local governments in Abia State are lamenting their uncertain fate after the government’s decision to forcefully retire them from service.

The retirement wave was triggered by a circular from the Local Government Service Commission sent to the Heads of Service (HoS) in all 17 local governments, reminding them of the letter from the State HoS regarding the upcoming retirements.

Judith Ezinne Ngakwe, the Permanent Secretary of the Local Government Service Commission in a circular, listed 68 officers who were instructed to immediately begin their compulsory pre-retirement leave.

“This directive is in line with the Abia State Tenure Policy for all Heads of Service and Directors, who have served in their positions for four(4) or eight(8) years as the case may be as well as officers who are due for retirement,” the circular said.

Many of the affected Directors, including Heads of Service (HoS) and Acting HoS in the local governments, were forced to begin a three-month "pre-retirement leave" from September to October, with their services expected to be terminated by December or January.

Although the government has justified the move as part of the Abia State Tenure Policy, the decision has sparked controversy, as several Directors argue they are not yet due for retirement.

Several senior civil servants in the local government system, who spoke on condition of anonymity, voiced strong opposition to the mass retirement.

One director from an Abia South local government stated, "Many of us on the list for this so-called retirement have not yet completed the eight-year tenure in our current roles, so we suspect there may be a political motive behind this whole process."

Another director from Abia Central expressed that the fear among his colleagues extends beyond being forced out of service, as the future appears grim for anyone facing the possibility of job loss.

He stated, "We’re being pushed toward an uncertain fate, especially knowing that those who were retired last year still haven't received any compensation from the state government. If we are removed unprepared, how will we provide for our families and dependents when we’re financially unable to meet their basic needs?"

Last week, thirty (30) Permanent Secretaries dismissed early in the Alex Otti administration held a press conference, expressing frustration that the government had yet to pay them any of their entitlements.

The uncertainty about their future, along with claims that many who aren't due for retirement were included in the list, seems to have led the affected Directors in the local governments to defy the initial directive to begin their pre-retirement leave.

Edited By: Chinedu Eze

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Panic as Abia Set to Forcefully Retire 68 LG Directors

Fear has gripped Abia workers as the state allegedly plans to compulsorily retire local government directors, sparking uncertainty about their future.

At least 68 Directors on Grade Level 16 across the 17 local governments in Abia State are lamenting their uncertain fate after the government’s decision to forcefully retire them from service.

The retirement wave was triggered by a circular from the Local Government Service Commission sent to the Heads of Service (HoS) in all 17 local governments, reminding them of the letter from the State HoS regarding the upcoming retirements.

Judith Ezinne Ngakwe, the Permanent Secretary of the Local Government Service Commission in a circular, listed 68 officers who were instructed to immediately begin their compulsory pre-retirement leave.

“This directive is in line with the Abia State Tenure Policy for all Heads of Service and Directors, who have served in their positions for four(4) or eight(8) years as the case may be as well as officers who are due for retirement,” the circular said.

Many of the affected Directors, including Heads of Service (HoS) and Acting HoS in the local governments, were forced to begin a three-month "pre-retirement leave" from September to October, with their services expected to be terminated by December or January.

Although the government has justified the move as part of the Abia State Tenure Policy, the decision has sparked controversy, as several Directors argue they are not yet due for retirement.

Several senior civil servants in the local government system, who spoke on condition of anonymity, voiced strong opposition to the mass retirement.

One director from an Abia South local government stated, "Many of us on the list for this so-called retirement have not yet completed the eight-year tenure in our current roles, so we suspect there may be a political motive behind this whole process."

Another director from Abia Central expressed that the fear among his colleagues extends beyond being forced out of service, as the future appears grim for anyone facing the possibility of job loss.

Last week, thirty (30) Permanent Secretaries dismissed early in the Alex Otti administration held a press conference, expressing frustration that the government had yet to pay them any of their entitlements.

The uncertainty about their future, along with claims that many who aren't due for retirement were included in the list, seems to have led the affected Directors in the local governments to defy the initial directive to begin their pre-retirement leave.

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