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Clampdown on illegal employees, who were engaged by the former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Mr. Patrick Ziakede Akpobolokemi, may have begun with the sack of three of such staffers of the agency at the weekend.
Government had last week ordered the immediate staff audit of the Nigerian apex maritime regulatory body, as a follow-up to an earlier commencement of projects undertaken by Akpobolokemi during his five year tenure as NIMASA DG.
The sack of the three persons who were found to have been illegally employed into the Agency have set a wave of panic through the entire workforce, particularly those who were employed between 2010 and May 2015, following speculations that no less than 200 of such employees may soon be shown the way out.
The speculation was however refuted by the agency’s spokesperson, Hajia Lami Tumaka, who clarified that only the three person have been sacked, so far.
An administrative investigation conducted by the Agency revealed that the employment of the three officers at the twilight of the administration of Dr. Ziakede Patrick Akpobolokemi as Director General did not follow due process required for employment into the civil service.
Hajia Lami Tumaka, a Deputy-Director, Public Relations of the agency explained that, like every federal government agency, the Federal Civil Service rules govern engagement and disengagement of officers in NIMASA.
Tumaka did not indicate if the sack of the unnamed employees was as a result of the findings of the committee set up by the Federal Ministry of Transport (FMOT) to carry out staff employment audit in NIMASA.
Sources said there is however apprehension among some staff of a likely demotion of those found to have enjoyed undue rapid promotion during the tenure of Akpobolokemi.
Although the committee which was given two weeks to review the employments at the agency between 2010 and 2014 is yet to submit its report and recommendation, it is being feared that some officers on grade levels 15, 16 and 17 may have their grade levels reversed to four steps lower respectively.
-Alex Akao
