Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) has debunked some media reports alleging that her office approved the re-instatement of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina and posted him to the Ministry of Interior.
It would be recalled that the Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau, in a statement issued by his Press Secretary, Mr Ehisienmen Osaigbovo, on Sunday confirmed Maina’s re-instatement as an Acting Director in his ministry.
Osaigbovo, however, debunked media reports that his principal was one of those responsible for Maina’s “re-instatement”.
“Maina was posted few days ago to the Ministry of Interior by the Office of the Head of Service on an Acting capacity to fill a vacancy created following the retirement of the Director heading the Human Resources Department in the Ministry.
“For the avoidance of doubt, issues relating to discipline, employment, re-engagement, posting, promotion and retirements of federal civil servants are the responsibility of the Federal Civil Service Commission and Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.
“No minister exercises such powers as erroneously expressed in this publication.
“It is understood that Maina’s last posting was with the Ministry of Interior, and that is probably why he was re-posted back to the ministry,” he said.
Mr Mohammed Manga, Assistant Director Media Relations, OHCSF, refuted the reports in a statement he signed on Monday in Abuja.
“The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation wishes to inform the public that the re-instatement and posting of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina never emanated from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
“Consequently, the purported re-instatement and posting by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is totally erroneous and misleading.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the immediate dismissal of Abdulrasheed Maina, a civil servant, who went missing for years after being declared, wanted for corruption.
The president said the circumstances of Maina’s return to the civil service must be investigated asking Oyo-Ita to submit the report of her investigation before the close of work on Monday.
The embattled Pension Reform Task Team, PRTT, Chairman, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina, had fled the country to escape arrest by the police and other security agents on his trail, but was allegedly reinstated to a higher post.
