Kogi govt. debunks compulsory screening for Kogi workers media report [Right of Reply]

The Kogi State Head of Civil Service, Mrs. Hannah Odiyo, has debunked the report by CAPITAL POST alleging that the state Governor, Yahaya Bello directed staff audit of all Kogi state workers clarifying that the ongoing exercise is purely an internal routine for biodata update by the office of the Head of Civil Service, especially after the last screening.

In a rejoinder signed by the Head of Service, she also pointed out that the officer, Mr. Fadumila Olowo who painfully died during the in house exercise was said to have been sick before the exercise and that he had in recent time, slumped elsewhere before this fateful day adding that as against the falsehood reported by CAPITAL POST, the incident happened around 11.00am, shortly after he arrived the venue.

She however commiserated with the family of the deceased and prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul deceased.

Giving a detailed background, the HoS said ‘’The Office of the Head of Civil Service has the mandate to maintain adequate records of all staff of the State Civil Service.

In a bid to maintain proper planning cum implementation, the office sent out circular with bio data forms on 26th May, 2022 to all Ministries/Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to fill.

Many officers complied while some failed to adhere to the directive. A reminder was sent on 19th July, 2023 for all those who failed to fill the bio data forms. Yet many did not comply especially Officers who have their salary pay points with the Office of the Head of Civil Service but their duty stations are elsewhere’’.

‘’Predicated on the above, the office decided to send invitation letters to all MDAs requesting pool Officers under the Office of the Head of Civil Service to appear physically with a bid to make budgetary provision for their promotions and equally know their duty stations.

This exercise commenced on 4th December, 2023 and to end on the 8th December, 2023 based on the timetable for MDAs to appear on their stated dates. There was adequate sitting arrangement for Officers in the Conference hall, as such, there was no queue as reported’’. She added.

The HoS said the directive for the exercise as against the caption by CAPITAL POST on socio-media was not by Governor Yahaya Bello adding that the effort was in a bid to identify the total number of the pool staff of the Office of the Head of Civil Service whose pay points are with the office but rendering their services elsewhere in other MDAs.

She added that for officers outside the office of the Head of Civil Service, their salaries were stepped down pending when they show up to update their data noting that such was the only way to make defaulters comply and this action is in their favour, otherwise, their names would be missing from the authentic nominal roll as bona-fide staff of Kogi State Government.

Editor’s note

We stand by our report that Kogi State governor ordered staff audit before handing over on 27th January, 2024.

The right of reply by Kogi State Head of Service, Mrs Hannah Odiyo is a face saving measure due to CAPITAL POST’s exposure of the screening exercise that would been carried out in a haste.

If the explanation of the HoS was anything to go by, why the internal routine at the twilight of Yahaya Bello’s administration?

Why was the death of Mr Fadumila Olowo in the course of the exercise on Monday December 4 not reported by any media in Kogi State?

We reported plans by the office of the HoS to sack some directors in some MDAs who did not deliver their polling units for APC in the just concluded governorship election and this was not debunked if the report by CAPITAL POST was untrue?

CAPITAL POST has a way of investigating issues in a very professional manner before reporting in line with the Freedom of Information Act and it is safe to conclude that screening of Kogi workers report by CAPITAL POST was a fact.