Taraba civil service commission toothless, says chairman

The Chairman, Taraba State Civil Service Commission Mr Fidelis Kaigama has said that civil servants  who are involved in fraud  could not be sanctioned because they have godfathers’ protection. He lamented that the  commission  was investigating some suspended civil servants   involved in    large scale fraud in order to discipline them, but  the commission […]

The Chairman, Taraba State Civil Service Commission Mr Fidelis Kaigama has said that civil servants  who are involved in fraud  could not be sanctioned because they have godfathers’ protection.

He lamented that the  commission  was investigating some suspended civil servants   involved in    large scale fraud in order to discipline them, but  the commission was stopped  from taking action against such civil servants.

 “There was a time we received information that some persons stole billions of naira belonging to the state government and while  we were trying to investigate the matter, they were all recalled back to their places of work,” he revealed.

Kaigama made the disclosure while briefing news men on the activities of his commission.

The chairman noted that godfatherism and political  interference have destroyed the state civil service by frustrating disciplinary measure against  erring civil servants.  

He said there was a system failure in the state which needs to be tackled urgently in order to restore discipline and decency in the civil service

“There is high indiscipline in the state civil service and the commission cannot do anything about it because each time we try to discipline a staff, you have the godfathers come up against you with all forms of accusations and sentiments.” he lamented.

The chairman said there had been no official recruitment in the state civil service since creation in 1991 even after the state government had lifted embargo on employment.

 Kaigama explained that when he assumed duty as chairman he met 16,000 civil servants, adding that even though there were no employment, the number of civil servants kept increasing day by day.

He accused some senior civil servants and politicians of carrying out illegal recruitment of staff thereby creating ghost workers in the state civil service.   

He assured that the commission would be fair to all tribes and local government areas in the recruitment exercise.