An assemblage of about fifty Civil Society Organizations in Nigeria, the New Era for Sustainable Leadership and Accountability Initiative has called for decorum in Public Service across the country.
The Executive Director of the organisation, Mr Edwin Olorunfemi who made the call at a news conference in Abuja, the nation’s capital also urged the federal government to relieve any civil servant who has attained the retirement age of 60 years or 35 years in service from their position for the national interest.
“A situation where a civil servant who has attained retirement, perpetuate him/herself in the office is destroying the country’s image.
“It is demoralising career civil servants as it denies them their career progression.
“It is an obvious fact that without effective leadership at all levels be it in private, public and civil organisations, it is arguably virtually impossible to achieve and to sustain effective administration, to achieve target goals, to sustain quality and deliver first-rate services.
“The increasing complexities and requirements in society arising from the constant push for higher levels of productivity, require effective and ethical leadership.”
Mr Olorunfemi said the requirement for nation-building has prompted their organisation to help identify loopholes in the appointment and selection of leadership in public offices to ensure that the best hands are managing the public affair.
“The public service rules PSR, 020810 clearly stated that the compulsory retirement age for all grades in the service shall be 60 years of age or 35 years in service whichever is earlier. No Officer shall be allowed to remain in service after attaining the retirement of 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service whichever is earlier. Therefore, all civil servants must be bound by the civil service rules.
“On this backdrop, our organization faults the process of extending the tenure of some civil servants in the country. The bane of our national development has been bad leadership and we must continue to try new hands until we get it right.
“The continued stay in office by some civil servants negates the principle of succession plan, which implies quality grooming of a subordinate by a leader creating a smooth transference of leadership roles and maintaining sustainable leadership in public service.”
He added that such act contradicts the circular from the Office of the Head of Service to all agencies of the Nigerian Government which says; “For the avoidance of doubt and in order to maintain discipline and integrity, the extant public service rule which prescribes 60 years of age or 35 years of service for mandatory retirement should strictly be complied with.
“Accordingly, the following guidelines shall apply:(I) that career
officers who take up tenured appointments should at the point of taking up the appointment retire from service to ensure they run their term uninterrupted. (II) that career officers who have not retired from service before the commencement of their tenured appointment must leave office on the attainment of mandatory age/years of service for retirement and (iii) that career officers who are currently holding tenured appointments are required to retire from service with immediate effect and continue to run their term. Failure to do so would mean that they would vacate office on attaining the mandatory age or at the expiration of their term.”
The New Era for Sustainable Leadership and Accountability Initiative primary interests are sustaining quality, competence and efficient leadership in public establishments.
PIAK
