Feelers from the National Assembly indicate that crisis and tension loom at the National Assembly following moves and high level scheming by the outgoing Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr. Olatunde Ojo to wave civil service rules and spend his three months’ Pre-retirement Leave in office. The trouble is being or orchestrated as a result of the leadership succession in the management of the National Assembly, just as the intervention by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF) is said to be raising a scandal, thereby worsening the situation. As gathered, Ojo who is supposed to commence his mandatory three months Pre-retirement Leave yesterday November 14, preparatory to his final exit from office on February 14, 2023, when he would have attained the retirement age of 60 years both Service year for retirement and retirement age from service respectively, has sought the intervention of the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan.
Ojo’s pre-retirement leave was to allow for the National Assembly Service Commission, NASC, to appoint his successor. The appointment of Ojo’s successor sometime last week suffered a major setback as he was said to have embarked on quiet overtures to the NASC, Speaker of the House of Representatives to secure approval to spend his pre-retirement leave in office, even as the move runs against the grains as all his predecessors in office proceeded on their three-month pre-retirement leave. The two exceptions were Dr Salisu Maikasuwa who proceeded six months ahead of retirement; and Alhaji Sanni Mohammed Omolori, who was thereafter forced to retire before the effective date of his retirement from service. At the National Assembly, there is tension following some fresh moves being introduced into the CNA’s pre-retirement saga that have to do with the sudden decision by the outgoing CNA to spend his pre-retirement leave in office after he had withdrawn a letter of request to the NASC and the purported endorsement of Ojo’s extension of stay in office, was advised by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Folashade Esan.
However, there are doubts over the authenticity of the letter purportedly written by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation in which she gave a guidance on the mandatory three-month pre-retirement leave of a retiring Civil servant. The concern and claim in some circles in the service were that the officer a director, Adebayo O. Odejinmi, who signed the HoCSF letter, had retired from service as far back as June 16, 2022. There was a mild drama to it when Smart Olanrewaju, the Chief of Staff to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, forwarded a letter from the Head of Service to the NASC. The Office of the Speaker, had earlier written to the Hos, seeking her opinion on whether or not it was proper for Ojo to spend his three months Pre-retirement leave in office and the HoS in the response said there was nothing wrong in Ojo’s request. The letter which was signed by a Director, Adebayo O. Odejinmi, for the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, was addressed to the Office of the Speaker House of Representatives, through the Chief of Staff. Part of the letter read, ” I am directed to refer to your letter dated 10th November 2022 on the above subject seeking clarification on Pre-retirement Leave. The pre-retirement leave is provided for in the Public Service Rule (PSR) 100238 which states: “Officers are required to give three months notice to retire from service before the effective date of retirement. “At the commencement of the three months, officers should proceed immediately on the compulsory one month pre-retirement.workshop/seminar,
“For the remaining two months retiring officers are expected to take necessary measures to put their records straight so as to facilitate the speedy processing of their retirement benefits. “Going by the provision, it is compulsory for the retiring officer to give a notice of three months prior to his/her retirement. “Among other intents this provision is to enable the MDA arrange a replacement in good time, for the officer. As provided in the rule and where organised, the retiring officer will attend the one-month pre-retirement seminar. He/she is expected, in his/her own interest. to gather his/her records from various MDAs. he/she might have served. This is to facilitate the processing of his/her retirement benefits It is therefore. not out of order if the officer chooses to work in office during the period.
“Please accept, the assurances of the warm regards of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.” A group under the aegis of the All Progressives Congress, APC Alliance for Good Governance had on Monday asked the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) to follow due process in the appointment of a new Clerk to the National Assembly, CNA. In a statement in Abuja, the Assistant National Coordinator of the group, Sani Liman said that the group condemned in very strong terms, the current intrigue being orchestrated by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to install its stooges in the National Assembly for deep-seated corruption and looting and had therefore expressed urgent national concern for rectitude. The outgoing CNA, Mr Amos Ojo is due to embark on mandatory pre-retirement leave today? Monday on expiration of his tenure. Liman alleged that the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is using the tussle for the replacement of Ojo, to precipitate a crisis that would torpedo age-long tradition of seniority in the appointment of functional officers for the Assembly.
