– The staff of the Code of Conduct Bureau are protesting against an alleged plan by the office of the SGF to impose a retired civil servant, Mrs Folashade Kolawole, on them as secretary
– The protesting staff allege that Mrs Folashade Kolawole voluntarily resigned as acting secretary of the CCB after she was earlier suspended
– Comrade Onoja Isaac, who led the protest, alleges that Kolawole is conniving with some top staff of the office of the SGF to ensure her reinstatement
– Onoja argues that it is against the civil service rule for a staff to seek such reinstatement after voluntarily resigning
There was confusion at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) on Thursday, August 24, following an alleged plan to reinstate Mrs Folashade Kolawole, a retired civil servant, as the agency’s secretary.
The tension resulted in a protest by staff of the CCB, who vehemently rejected any plan by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to reinstate her.
Armed with placards carrying various inscriptions, the protesters accused Mrs Kolawole of conniving with some people in the SGF’s office to bring her back in the system even though this was against the civil service rule.
One of the documents made available by the protesters. Credit: Uche Sam
ZENITHBLOG.com understands that Kolawole was allegedly suspended in April, 2017 over the non-implementation of the Standard Operation Procedure (SOP).
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She later voluntarily resigned her position in the same month.
The protesters however claim that the permanent secretary in charge of general service in the office of Secretary to the Government of Federation, RP Ugo, signed a letter directing the CCB to reinstate her as the anti-graft agency’s head.
Led by Comrade Onoja Isaac, a staff of the CCB, the protesters said this is part of the reasons the federal government was facing frustration in the fight against corruption as cases are thrown out at the Code of Conduct Tribunal because the right foundation is not laid.
“If we don’t get it right here, that is how we will keep losing cases in court and we say we are fighting corruption?
“I can tell you that this is the reason most of the looters are going free in Nigeria because the foundation for fighting corruption is not well laid.
“This is the reason why corruption cases are thrown out at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), and the former secretary doesn’t care about such things,” Onoja alleged.
He accused Kolawole of massive corruption claiming that the Department of State Services (DSS) must be aware of it.
“Is she not aware that when you leave the service by any means you are no longer guided by the Public Service Rules (PSR) and so if you have any grievances you should approach the industrial court and not the SGF?” Onoja asked.
He noted that section 158 of the rule stipulates that that once a board takes a decision, there is no other authority in the country that can upturn it except a court of competent jurisdiction.
“We learned that the SGF set up a committee which purportedly claimed to have resolved to reinstate Mrs Folashade after she duly retired voluntarily.
“No one forced her to retire when she did and the retirement has been accepted and perfected as well, there is therefore no rule in PSR anywhere that allows for such fraudulent reinstatement after duly retiring from service.
“As a union we are therefore praying the president and every other leader to intervene in this matter before it goes out of hand, because without a functional Code of Conduct Bureau even the EFCC or ICPC cannot properly carry out their functions effectively which includes successful prosecution of corruption cases against public office holders,” he said.
Another document, a pay voucher made available by the protesters. Credit: Uche Sam
He also questioned why the CCB lost many cases as well as the inability of the agency to train investigators during the period of Kolawole.
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“Majority of the staff of CCB can’t work with her anymore because she was so high-handed in her dealings with staff.
“I can tell you that she had issued queries to some directors during her short stay as acting secretary.
“So if anyone in SGF desperately wants Mrs Folashade Kolawole back from retirement let them post her elsewhere, because we can’t work with her,” the leader of the protesters said.
Mrs Kolawole could not be reached for her reaction at this time of this report.
ZENITHBLOG.com recently reported how the CCB and the CCT had been facing serious criticisms over its inability to win high-profile cases of alleged corruption.
One of such high-profile cases involved Senate President Bukola Saraki.
Watch this video again and see how Emir Muhammadu Sanusi of Kano criticised Nigerian leaders recently:
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