The Nigerian Government has commenced the verification of former civil servants from the North East who were disengaged from the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, (NEPC), during the 2004/2005 Public Service Reforms, as part of efforts to clear long-standing severance entitlements.
The verification, which is taking place in Gombe, designated as the verification centre for the entire North East zone,
Affected former staff have been directed to report to the Federal Secretariat in Gombe, ahead of the payment of their outstanding benefits.
The verification is being coordinated by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, BPSR, in collaboration with officials from key federal agencies, including the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, as well as anti-corruption agencies such as the EFCC and the ICPC.
Leading the verification team, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms, Dr. Arabi Dasuki, told journalists in Gombe that “the multi-agency approach was adopted to ensure transparency, credibility and accountability in the process”.
Dr. Dasuki explained that a similar verification exercise was successfully carried out two years ago for unpaid immigration officers in the North East, adding that all beneficiaries who were duly verified under that exercise were fully paid.
According to him, the current verification is aimed at confirming the identities and service records of officers affected by the 2006/2007 right-sizing exercise, which resulted in the disengagement of many federal civil servants.
He said the verification specifically targeted former staff of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council residing in the six states of the North East who are yet to receive their severance packages, nearly two decades after leaving service.
Dr. Dasuki described the ongoing exercise as the final phase of the process, stressing that it was designed to ensure that all remaining eligible beneficiaries, or their next of kin in cases where the officers are deceased, receive their long-overdue entitlements.
Some of the beneficiaries, including Mrs. Yagana Kalama-Sheriff from Maiduguri in Borno State and Mr. Mohammed Abubakar from Adamawa State, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government, describing the development as the fulfilment of a long-forgotten hope.
They said they were encouraged by the seriousness of the verification exercise and expressed optimism that payment would finally bring closure to years of waiting.
The verification team is expected to remain in Gombe for five days, during which affected persons are to report to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council office at the Federal Secretariat.
However, officials noted that the absence of forwarding addresses for some beneficiaries who left service during the period remains a major challenge.
Those who are unable to attend the Gombe exercise have been advised to present themselves at the Bureau of Public Service Reforms headquarters in Abuja for verification and subsequent payment.