Civil servants in Bayelsa have expressed concerns over imminent job
losses in the ongoing civil service reforms despite assurances from government
that the exercise would boost staff welfare.
The anxiety amongst workers follows a written directive from the Head of
Service in Bayelsa , Rev Thomas Zidafomo to Heads of Ministries Department and
Agencies to suspend salaries of staff considered ‘excess’.
Bayelsa government has commenced its plans to downsize its workforce and
directed removal of 222 staff from its radio station and newspaper.
According to a letter dated Apri 6, 2018 signed by Zidafomo, addressed
to General Manager of Bayelsa Newspaper Corporation, Publishers of New Waves
Newspapers and Radio Bayelsa 222 workers were listed as ‘excess workers.
It was gathered that a committee set up by Gov Seriake Dickson on
staffing and Funding of MDAs had compiled the list of surplus staff which is
being released in batches.
The letter directed the management of the two media outlets to withhold
and remit the April salaries of affected workers to a special account at the
Office of the Accountant General of the State.
The mood amongst workers at the Bayelsa State Secretariat on Wednesday
was gloomy and tense as workers discussed the development in low tones in small
groups.
Although most of the civil servants were reluctant to make comments on
the policy for fear of victimization some of the affected workers faulted the
process adopted by the state government.
“Reforms is part of organizational objectives and often affects people,
some positively and some negatively, new jobs are created while there may be
inevitable job losses.
“What makes this one suspicious is the issue of retrenchment before
giving employers the chance the justify their expertise.
“I am a reporter and my name was listed and I was asked to meet a
committee to prove my professional competence for redeployment when my name has
been expunged from the payroll, is that not a sack ?
“The labour ethics gives the employer the right to hire and fire so if
they must fire us, why not do it procedurally which will take care of end of
service benefits rather than this approach ?” an affected staff said.
Another Civil Servant said that explanations that the exercise wasa mere
redeployment of staff from areas of surplus to areas of need was necessary for
overall efficiency of the service but said that withholding salaries was
strange.
“The
reorganization should be in a systematic way in line with civil service rules
and redeployment and transfers in cases where the employee needs to move
attracts allowances not stopping of salaries,” said a civil servant.
Mr Tari
Dounana, Chairman , Bayelsa chapter of Trade Union Congress said that the
labour movement in the state was worried about the suspension of workers’
salaries.
“We are
following the developments with keen nterest on the impact of the reforms on
the workforce and it should be done in line with labour guidelines, the
redeployment of workers does not have to involve stopping salaries.
“We are
looking at the issue with a view to making a statement on the exercise,”
Dounana said.
The Baylesa government said the ongoing public service reforms in the
state was to eliminate endemic employment racketeering and pay roll fraud in
its public sector.
Deputy
Governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (Rtd) had assured the workers that they would
not be thrown into the labour market adding that the exercise would only affect
those involved in employment fraud, redundancy and truancy.
It will be recalled that Bayelsa government had on November 7,2017
announced that it withheld the October 2017 salary of some 4,202 civil servants
suspected to be involved in irregularities.
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