Nigerian Concord Newspaper
A group known as Justice and Equity Movement 1 (JEM1) has raised an alarm over a systemic corruption in the Benue Civil Service since the coming of the present Governor of Benue State Rev.Fr.Hyacinth Alia.
The group while addressing reporters in Makurdi kicked against the unethical and corrupt practices going on in the service and particularly in the areas of promotions,appointments and grading of qualified staff of the service.
According to the spokesman of the group Clement Aule Shima, the service is in comatose as there no more regard for hierarchy,qualification and hard work.
Adding that a situation where administrative officers are no longer regarded as the doyen of the civil service does not augur well for the smooth running of any serious government.
He said by the training of administrative officers,they are the engine room of the civil service and should be allowed to run the system.
“Rather what we see is a system were other technical professional are made to head administrative position of Permanent Secretaries”.He said.
According to him,the destruction of the civil service has worsened as the present Head of Service Mr Agbogbo Ode , who is not an administrator by training has completely lost control of the situation.
“Nepotism,tribalism and man know man has become the order of the day or else how can you explain a situation were junior officers are giving senior duties ahead of their seniors”
“In some instances some staff are giving duties based on their ethnic affiliation and political linings. “We have a situation that if not checked will affect the moral of civil servant which will lead them into further corruption and death of the service”
The group also alleged that the governor reverted posting of civil servants when he came on board to give room for auditing but said seven months down the line nothing has been done.
“We see daily incompetencies from government and it’s officials in the running of the service and this has to stop” he said.
The group called on the head of the service to situp or be shipped out.
They equally called on the governor to on his torchlight on the activities of the civil service before it finally collapses.
“If nothing is done about the situation, we may have no choice but to approach the ICPC to investigate the Benue civil service”