Plateau APC Raises Alarm Over Secret Recruitment Into Civil Service By Outgoing Jang Administration

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News From The State Monday, April 20th, 2015

From Agabus Pwanagba, Jos – The Plateau State chapter of the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) has uncovered plans by Governor Jonah Jang led outgoing administration to employ 6, 800 workers before the expiration of his tenure.

The allegations were raised Monday by the State’s APC Chairman, Latep Dabang, at a press briefing.

Latep said, “It has come to our notice that serious decisions that require serious policy considerations are being taken with respect to finances, creation of institutions, massive recruitment in key sectors of the State economy, without recourse to the incoming government.

“These include securing facilities from financial institutions, interviews/recruitments as well as promotions in the civil service.

He maintained “We have it on records that massive recruitments are already taking place in several Ministries, Governmental sectors and the Plateau State University, Bokkos.

The APC Chairman added that, in some of the organizations where the alleged recruitments/replacements were recently carried out, were said to have been backdated to 2013/2014.

Further to the alleged purported mass recruitment saga, the APC Chieftain said, “It has come to our notice that about 6, 800 people are to be recruited, cutting across the following Ministries and Departments; Agriculture (500), Cabinet and Special Duties (500), Finance (250), Government House (175), Housing and Urban Development (200), Health (1, 500), Lands, Survey and Town Planning (100), Local Government (2, 750), and Works (275).

The APC leader alleged that the lists had been sent to the Civil Service Commission, through a Commissioner for execution of the mandate.

Latep lamented further that his party wondered why the Jang administration who has barely six weeks to go would embark on such major policy decisions.

It would be recalled last Saturday, the APC in a press statement signed by the Director, Media, Publicity and Protocol of its gubernatorial Campaign organization, Festus Fauntet, alleged that the outgoing administration was embarking on a massive looting of the State’s treasury, citing some irregularities in the civil service records, lopsided appointments, sale of government owned landed property as well as conversion of Government property for personal use; amongst others.

The PDP had in its reaction countered the allegations in a press statement signed by Mr. Clinton Garuba and made available to journalists in Jos the State capital.

It reads, “Our attention has been drawn to a press statement issued by the Media Aide to the Governor-elect of Plateau State Barr. Simon Lalong in which some spurious allegations were raised against the Governor of Plateau State, Dr. Jonah David Jang.”

The statement maintained “While the incoming administration has the right to be concerned about modalities for a smooth transition, it is petty for it to begin to peddle unsubstantiated claims in order to further malign the person of the Governor who has done his best for the good of Plateau State and in process scoring some cheap political points.

“It must be pointed out that the same Plateau people who gave the mandate to the incoming administration graciously gave the Jang administration the opportunity to serve and this we have done to best of our abilities.

“We hold our heads high because we delivered on the mandate given to us by the Plateau people as evident in the numerous projects that dot the Plateau landscape”.

It further said, “Our advice to the incoming administration is that it should concentrate on having a smooth transition process and going further to surpass the Jang administration because the bar of leadership has been raised. Plateau people now know what it means to taste meaningful development and will not accept anything less.

“We on our part will remain a vibrant opposition anchored on x-raying the policies and programmes of the incoming government vis-a-vis what we have to offer.

“Ours is going to be an issue based opposition which will criticize the programmes of government not an attack on personalities who we may have fallen out with.

“We call on all peace loving people to therefore ignore rumours and fallacious statements being peddled either in the media or by words of mouth.

“The Jang administration is putting together a comprehensive hand over note with all its actions as contained in the Plateau State Strategic Development Plan; a document which is the guide for the development of the State”, the State’s PDP Spokesperson specified.