Local Government Service Commission: Mass Sack Irks Workers

What could be commonly described as “man inhumanity to man” has recently occurred in the Akwa Ibom State Local Government Service Commission. Indiscriminate demotion of Local Government workers are reported in the commission.

The rational behind such unjust activity is what majority of the workers affected could not explain. This is because some of them can't even imagine such an act which has never happened except as a sort of punishment to erring or recalcitrant workers.
“We don't know the philosophy behind such a dehumanized act. How can someone just wake up one morning and start demoting workers without a yardstick?” An astonished senior staff of the commission confided in the paper.

It was gathered that senior staff of local governments were indiscriminately demoted . Global Concord investigation reveals that some staff on salary grade level 12,14 and above have been demoted to salary grade level 4 and 5 respectively. Those who were level 7, 8,9,10 and 11 are now bagging salary grade Level 3 and 4 respectively. The irony of the situation according to investigations is that some junior staff are unduly promoted to assume more authority than their seniors in the service.

The abnormality, it was gathered have infuriated the state branch of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employee (NULGE) to stage a protest at the commission's headquarters at Oron Road, Uyo, recently.

A source close to the commission's chairman speaking on condition of anonymity told Global Concord that the exercise was done by a consulting firm “contracted by the commission to look into the possible way of redeeming the service of the commission and making it work at par with the state civil service”. But by all indications, the goals upon which the firm was contracted have been defeated, as many homes are now wailing due to irreparable loss of their financial strength.

One of the NULGE chairmen who refused his name on print accused Mr. Godwin Afangide, chairman of the commission of masterminding the exercise to the detriment of the staff.

The source going memory lane told the press that: “It could be recalled that on assumption of duty as the chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, Mr. Godwin Afangideh attempted to sack some staff of Local Governments, especially those who were newly employed, on the pretext that they did not pass through the right procedure. There was crisis in the commission and until the tide was reversed”.
As at time of going to press, it was gathered that mass demotion of staff of the commission was in the offing. Efforts to reach the chairman for comments on the issues proved abortive. Global Concord hopes to interact with Mr Afangide on the allegations very soon.