The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Winifred
Oyo-Ita has countered the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, who
on Sunday blamed her office for the reinstatement of the former Chairman
of the Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Mr Abdulrasheed Maina
Oyo-Ita on Monday denied approving the reinstatement of Maina into the
Federal Civil Service in a statement signed by the Assistant Director of
Media Relations at the HCSF, Mr Mohammed Manga.
The statement read, “The attention of the Office of the Head of the Civil
Service of the Federation has been drawn to several media reports that the
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has approved the reinstatement
into the Federal Civil Service of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina and
his subsequent posting to the Ministry of Interior.
“The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) wishes to inform
the public that the reinstatement and posting of Alhaji Abdulrasheed
Abdullahi Maina never emanated from the Office of the Head of the Civil
Service of the Federation.
“Consequently, the purported reinstatement and posting by the Office of
the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is totally erroneous and
misleading.”
This statement by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation counters
Dambazau’s statement who had earlier denied responsibility for Maina’s
recall.
Dambazau blamed Maina’s recall on the office of the HCSF and the Federal
Civil Service Commission in a statement by his Press Secretary, Ehisienmen
Osaigbovo, denied responsibility for Maina’s recall to service
The statement explained that Maina “was posted a few days ago to the
Ministry of Interior by the Office of the Head of Service in an Acting
capacity to fill a vacancy created following the retirement of the
Director heading the Human Resources Department in the Ministry.”
He said the two bodies are responsible for “issues relating to Discipline,
Employment, Re-engagement, Posting, Promotion and Retirements of Federal
Civil Servants.”
This denial by HCSF comes amid calls by prominent Nigerians, including the
Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption,
Professor Itse Sagay, and human rights lawyer Mr Femi Falana, who asked
the Presidency to order Maina’s arrest.
The reactions seemed to have prompted President Muhammadu Buhari to order
the immediate dismissal of the former task force chairman from the Federal
Civil Service.
President Buhari, in a memo to the HCSF, also demanded a full report of
the circumstances of Maina’s recall and posting to the Ministry of
Interior, which he said must be submitted before the end of work today
(Monday).