My former CPS was redeployed, not sacked – Taraba governor

Ben Adaji, Jalingo

The Taraba state government has denied media reports that the state Governor Darius Ishaku has sacked his former Chief Press Secretary Hassan Mijinyawa.

Mr. Bala Dan Abu, the SA media to the governor in a statement said that the media reports was a misrepresentation of the decision of the government.

Dan Abu said the former CPS to the governor was only re-assigned as a Senior Special Assistant in the governor’s media department, making way for Mr. Illiya Bekyu, who is a career civil servant to take over the office.

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According to the statement, “the Office of the Chief Press Secretary in the Office of the Governor is a civil service position and should be occupied only by a career civil servant. Alhaji Hassan Mijinyawa is a political appointee, not a career civil servant, and so his appointment 13 years ago as Chief Press Secretary was, therefore, wrong.

“His removal is not a sack, but a correction of a previous mistake and it is in line with civil services rules and regulations. He has, accordingly, been redeployed as Senior Special Assistant and will continue working in the Media Department of the Governor’s Office.”

The Nation recalls that the state government announced the appointment of Mr. Illiya Bekyu as the new CPS to the governor over the weekend to succeed Alhaji Hassan Mijinyawa who has occupied the position for over thirteen consecutive years.