Bimbola Oyesola
Organised Labour yesterday, vowed it would commence occupation of the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF) over his refusal to retire from service despite attaining the mandatory retirement age.
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) in a statement by its Secretary-General, Alade Bashir Lawal, on Thursday in Abuja, noted that the Union had concluded mobilisation of its members in the Federal Capital Territory, to storm the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation any moment from now to force him to proceed on retirement.
He stated that the Accountant-General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris, turned 60 years on November 25, 2020 and should have vacated office on that day.
He said, “But he had been boasting to those who cared to listen that he was going nowhere because he was close to Mr President who facilitated his promotion to that office and as such he could not be subjected to guidelines on retirement in the Civil Service.”
According to the ASCSN, Public Service Rule (PSR) 020810 states clearly that: “The compulsory retirement age for all grades in the Service shall be 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service whichever is earlier”
“No Officer shall be allowed to remain in service after attaining the retirement age of 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service whichever is earlier.”
The ASCSN regretted that in spite of the very clear provision on retirement in the Civil Service, some Heads of Federal Government agencies have continued to sit tight in their offices refusing to exit the service on the spurious ground that they have link with Mr President and consequently could not be subjected to Public Service Rules. It added that those parading themselves as President’s men might just be name-droppers as President Buhari, a disciplined public officer could not be encouraging impunity of any form. “This negative report from the end of Alhaji Idris is particularly painful and disturbing because the post of Accountant-General of the Federation is a career one that is strictly guided by the provisions of the Public Service Rule 020810…”