Alia Breathes Fresh Life Into Councils' Workers

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has reinstated 3,862 staff of local councils whose appointments were terminated by the immediate past administration. 

Justifying the reinstatement, Chairman of the State Local Government Service Commission, Hon James Ivever described the gesture as "compassion showing and a commitment to fairness in governance." He praised the Governor for breathing life into those workers who lost jobs and barely managed to survive the harsh economic times with their families!

Ivever disclosed during media briefing at the Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ, Benue State Council Secretariat that since the Alia administration saw no justification for the immediate past government's sacking of those employed between 2011-2012, especially that they were recruited properly and in accordance with procedures, the Chairman described the reinstatement as "lifelines for the victims!"

According to him, the 3,862 came from the twenty three area councils of the state and since their disengagement was illegal the administration would not deny them justice. Hon Ivever disclosed what seemed to have motivated the government to reinstate the workers he said "the Local Government Service Commission is the only body empowered to employ, train, promote, discipline and retire local government staff."

According to him, no Council has the right to employ even a level one officer without the approval of the Commission.

The Chairman acknowledged that when those staff were removed from the payroll in 2017 without justification, it became imperative for the government of the day to serve them justice.

What the future holds for the additional names to the ones originally approved by the Commission? Ivever answered "we are dealing strictly with those whose employments were properly approved." According to him, anyone whose name got onto the payroll without following due process would not be part of the exercise. "We have created a desk to take records of those with peculiar circumstance so that every case can be handled properly" he said.

The Commission Chairman insisted that the government was concerned only with the 3,862 whose services were terminated unfairly and urged those names sneaked into the legally approved list to stay away from the exercise since their employment status was not know to government of the day.

Commending the authorities for the bold decision, Hon Ivever summarized that every responsible government prioritizes the wellbeing of citizens and what Governor Alia has done symbolized his responsibility to the people. He clarified equally that since the exercise was to reinstate and not to replace, members of the public must be guided accordingly.