No Compulsory Screening Exercise for Workers in Kogi, Says HoS

Ibrahim Oyewale in Lokoja

Kogi State Head of Civil Service (HoS), Mrs. Hannah Odiyo, has debunked a report by an online publication alleging that the state Governor, Yahaya Bello, directed staff audit of all state workers.

He clarified that the ongoing exercise is purely an internal routine for biodata update by the office of the Head of Civil Service, especially after the last screening.

Odiyo also pointed out that the officer, Mr. Fadumila Olowo, who painfully died during the in-house exercise, was said to have been ill before the exercise and that he had in recent time, slumped elsewhere before this fateful day, adding that as against the falsehood reported by the online newspaper, the incident happened around 11.00a.m., shortly after he arrived at the venue.

She, however, commiserated with the family of the deceased and prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of the deceased.

Giving a detailed background, the HoS said: “The office of the Head of Civil Service has the mandate to maintain adequate records of all staff of the state civil service. In a bid to maintain proper planning cum implementation, the office sent out circular with biodata forms on May 26, 2022, to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to fill. Many officers complied while some failed to adhere with the directive. A reminder was sent on July 16, 2023, for all those who failed to fill the biodata forms. Yet many did not comply especially officers who have their salary pay points with the office of the Head of Civil Service but their duty stations are elsewhere.

‘’Predicated on the above, the office decided to send invitation letters to all MDAs requesting pool officers under the office of the Head of Civil Service to appear physically with a bid to make budgetary provision for their promotions and equally know their duty stations. This exercise commenced on  December 4, 2023, and to end on December 8, 2023, based on the timetable for MDAs to appear on their stated dates. There was adequate sitting arrangement for officers in the conference hall, as such, there was no queue as reported.’’

The HoS said the directive for the exercise as against the caption by Capital Post on socio-media was not by Governor Bello, adding that the effort was in a bid to identify the total number of the pool staff of the office of the Head of Civil Service whose pay points are with the office but rendering their services elsewhere in other MDAs.