…it is in line with Civil Service rules, says HoS
Bayelsa state Head of Service (HoS), Dr Wisdom Sawyer, at the weekend, stopped about seven non-indigene directors in the state’s civil service from writing a competency test.
It was gathered that the affected directors were already seated at the Rooftop Auditorium, Bayelsa Medical University, the venue of the test in Yenagoa, when Sawyer gave an order that non-indigenes were not allowed to write the examination.
The competency test, according to the announcement by Sawyer, was held on Friday and Saturday for directors on Grade levels 16 and 17 between 9 am to 4 pm.
It was learnt that the test was in preparation for the appointments of some of them as permanent secretaries by the state Governor, Senator Douye Diri.
The action of Sawyer was said to have caused disaffection among other directors, who frowned on the embarrassment the development caused their colleagues.
Sawyer was said to have acted on his own, as there was no indication that Governor Diri gave such a directive.
Sources, who spoke in confidence, said the order asking non-indigenes, who were also shortlisted for the examination, to leave the hall came to them as a rude shock.
One of them said, “We were all shocked at the development. These same non-indigenes have given their all in the state’s civil service, growing through the ranks to become directors. Why will anyone think of stopping them from writing a competency test in such an embarrassing manner? Why were they shortlisted for the test in the first place?
“Besides, not everybody who sat for the test will have the privilege of being appointed a permanent secretary by the governor. Appointment of permanent secretaries is the prerogative of the governor. The HoS should have allowed the non-indigenes to write the test and then allowed the governor to decide on the issue of permanent secretaries’ appointment”.
Another source wondered where Sawyer derived his powers, faulted the claims, saying it ran afoul of the civil service rule on non-discrimination.
“We all know that Governor Diri did not give this directive. The way they were asked to leave the hall was demeaning and dehumanizing. The civil service rule does not allow for this kind of discrimination”, he said.
The sources called for Diri’s intervention to avert the rancour and bickering already created by Sawyer’s discriminatory order.
Absolving Diri of any blame, one of the sources, who is close to the governor, said, “Gov. Diri is a detribalised leader and can never give such an anti-Nigerian directive, it’s dehumanizing to those affected, calling them out of the hall. This is a governor who has a cabinet Commissioner, Mazi Onuma Johnson, from Abia State; he is a detribalised leader. The HoS wants to give him a bad image”.
But Sawyer, who confirmed the development during a telephone interview, immediately countered his critics, insisting that the office of the permanent secretary in Bayelsa was reserved for indigenes only.
He said the pre-qualification examination for permanent secretaries was done according to the local government of origin.
Sawyer said, “The Permanent Secretary is for people who are indigenes of Bayelsa State by local government, that is, our own state guidelines. Which LGA are they from? For permanent secretaries, you write per LGA, which LGA will they write? I acted according to the public service rule.
“In the federal level, if you are from Kogi and married in Rivers, it is the Kogi State slot that you will use for permanent Secretary, and the permanent Secretary thing is per LGA in Bayelsa. As a permanent Secretary, you are representing your LGA and constituency. So, which LGA and which constituency am I replacing?
“But we employed them (non-indigenes) and made them directors. It is okay. They can manage with that. Everybody must not become a permanent Secretary. So, it is correct, I did that, and if you give me another opportunity, I will still do it because I am here for Bayelsans and not for non-indigenes.
“The guidelines said it must be indigenes. It could also be indigene by marriage, and it must be captured in the records when you entered the civil service.
“Normally, if you enter the civil service, if you are from Brass, you will indicate Brass LGA, which will remain in your record till you retire. One person filled Sagbama LGA, but his mother is from Brass. Towards the exam, he came to say he is from Brass, but we said no, what you fill is what you will use”.
He described the competency test conducted by his administration as the best and most professional in the state, saying everybody was given a fair playing field.
Sawyer said even the physically challenged were allowed to write the test, adding that for the first time, all level 16 directors from all the local government areas were allowed to sit for the examination.
Sawyer said part of the examination required the candidates to draft a memo for the governor, and wondered why some people were not comfortable with the questions.
