The recent appointments made by the former Governor Samuel Ortom into the Benue State Civil Service have been invalidated by the current Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.
Alia announced that all appointments made by the previous administration from May 2022 until now are null and void, effective immediately.
Before the new governor took office, there was a heated exchange between the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressive Congress regarding last-minute policies implemented by the Ortom administration. These policies included hiring new employees, promoting staff members, and awarding contracts.
The APC’s Publicity Secretary, Daniel Ihomun, criticized the previous administration, claiming that they were creating obstacles for the smooth transition of the new government. On the other hand, the PDP’s Publicity Secretary, Bemgba Iortyom, defended Ortom’s last-minute policies, stating that he remained the governor until noon on May 29th.
However, in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Kula Tersoo, all the appointments made by Ortom were invalidated. The governor also ordered retired individuals who were still occupying their offices or duty posts due to extensions or contract appointments to retire immediately.
According to the statement, all civil servants who are due for retirement but have not yet submitted their retirement letters or notices should do so promptly and retire immediately. Additionally, all civil servants or individuals appointed as Permanent Secretaries from January 2023 onwards are instructed to revert to their previous positions.
Furthermore, all postings and transfers made in the state civil service from October 2022 until now are nullified, and the affected staff members are required to return to their former ranks, stations, or offices without delay.
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