A group, Concerned Compulsorily Retired Directors Abia state Civil Service has appealed to the state governor Dr. Alex Otti to reconsider and annul the eight (8) year tenure policy ejecting Directors from the State’s Public Service prematurely which took effect December 2023.
The Directors who all spoke on condition of anonymity to Dailytrailnews for fear of victimization appealed passionately to the state Governor to urgently reconsider the decision as it runs contrary to the terms of employment as clearly contained in the laws guiding the civil service which stipulates retirement at 35 years of service or by age 60 years.
In September 2023, scores of permanent secretaries, Directors, and Heads of Departments in the State public service were served notice to commence their retirement activities.
This was contained in a circular issued by the then Head of Service, Joy Maduka which explained that “Directors shall compulsorily retire upon serving eight years on the post.”
Speaking to Dailytrailnews, one of the affected Directors had this to say.
Audio 1
She further stated that their colleagues in the Ministries of Health and Justice have been recalled while some other were promoted to the rank of Permanent Secretaries adding that the current harsh economic realities has made matters worse.
Audio 2
Another affected Director maintained that the policy was discriminatory as some others who were affected got theirs reversed by the Government.
Audio 3
Still another further stated that most of the affected Directors were those that supported the emergence of Otti as the Governor of the state as he wondered what their offence was and appealed to the Governor to come to their aid.
Audio 4