By Richard Akintade, Osogbo
A nongovernmental organization, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, yesterday accused Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke of bastardising the state public service over the alleged extension of the service year of the Head of Service and the Accountant-General of the state against the public service rules and Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The CDHR Chairman in the state, Comrade Emmanuel Olowu, while fielding questions from journalists at the Osun NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel in Osogbo, expressed deep concern against Adeleke over his alleged continuous disregard of the public service rule by retaining the Head of Service, Samuel Ayanleye Aina and the Accountant General of the State, Rasheed Olalere Alabi after reaching their individual’s retirement age.
According to Olowu, “While Governor Adeleke approved the extension of the service year of the Head of Service via a letter signed by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Alhaji Kazeem Akinleye on 04/12/2023; we have it on good authority that the Governor has also decided to retain the Accountant General.”
“We used the word retain putting into consideration the fact that the Accountant General who was to retire on March 14, 2024 has remained in office and continued to perform the AG’s duty, even when there is no approval for his extension of service yet. The Accountant-General is still in the office after retirement.
“The Governor has been acting with impunity; and the House of Assembly is also an accomplice in disregarding the Osun Public Service Rule 2011.
“We chose to cry out loud now to caution Governor Adeleke against setting bad precedence in the public service and the history of Osun State”, he said.
The CDHR however accused the State House of Assembly of conniving with the governor to destroy accountability in the public service in a bid to loot the state treasury.
The CDHR in their demand want, Governor Ademola Adeleke to apologize to the entire Civil Service for acting in aberration against the Public Service Rules 2011 of the State.
They want the Governor to immediately withdraw (not reduce) the three-year extension of service years given to the Head of Service.
“We want the tenure of the Accountant General not to be extended; and consequently, the Account General should proceed on his retirement with immediate effect.
“The Governor should order all Permanent Secretaries whose retirements are less than six months and who are yet to submit their letter of retirement as stated in the Public Service Rule to commence the process immediately”, he added.
