Recalls that a notice on
the EFCC website said Maina is wanted “for offences bordering on Procurement
Fraud and Obtaining by False Pretence,” adding that he is allegedly complicit
in the “over N 2 billion Pensions Biometric Scam in the office of the Head of
Civil Service of the Federation. He remains at large, after charges were filed
against his accomplices.”
The Minister of Interior,
Abdulrahman Dambazau, has confirmed the reinstatement into the civil service of
embattled former chairman of Presidential Task Team on Pension Reforms,
Abdulrasheed Maina, who was declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, over corruption allegation.
But exonerating himself
from the processes that led to Maina’s recall, Dambazau clarified that it was
the duty of the Civil Service Commission and Office of the Head of Service of
the Federation to recall a suspended staff.
The embattled man, who is
now in charge of the Human Resources Department of the Interior ministry, was
in 2013 dismissed by the Federal Civil Service Commission following a
recommendation by the Office of the Head of Service.
Maina’s reinstatement and
promotion were shrouded in secrecy until the news was reported by the Premium
Times. Based on the allegation of corruption, Maina was before now invited by
the Senate Joint Committee on Public Service and Establishment and State and
Local Government Administration.
The Senate after completion
of its investigation issued a Warrant of Arrest against Maina. But ignoring the
panel, he went ahead to sue the Senate and the then Inspector-General of
Police, Mohammed Abubakar, and thereafter went into hiding after being declared
wanted by the police.
The statement issued on
Sunday by the Dambazau Press Secretary, Ehisienmen Osaigbovo said, “the
publication, which queries the reinstatement of former Chairman of the
Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, reportedly claimed that the
Interior Minister was one of those behind the said reinstatement.
“It is observed that some
insinuations as it concerns the Interior Minister were presented as facts,
hence the compelling need to proffer some clarifications for reference
purposes.
“The ex- Chairman of the
Presidential Task Force Team on Pension Reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina, was posted
few days ago to the Ministry of Interior by the Office of the Head of Service
on an Acting capacity to fill a vacancy created following the retirement of the
Director heading the Human Resources Department in the Ministry.
“For the avoidance of
doubt, issues relating to Discipline, Employment, Re-engagement, Posting,
Promotion and Retirements of Federal Civil Servants are the responsibility of
the Federal Civil Service Commission and Office of the Head of Service of the
Federation, of which no Minister exercises such powers as erroneously expressed
in this publication.
“It is understood that
Maina’s last posting was with the Ministry of Interior, and that is probably
why he was re-posted back to the Ministry.
“It is, therefore, improper
for anybody to think that a Minister could exercise such powers or influence
the process of Discipline, Re-engagement, and Deployment of any civil servant
to his Ministry or any other Ministry for that matter.
“Again Such responsibility
is that of the Federal Civil Service Commission and/or the Head of Civil
Service.
“We, therefore, admonished
journalists to cross check their facts before going to the press, as we see
Nigerian media as dependable allies in our onerous task of nation building.
“In any case, the relevant
institutions of government are alive to their responsibilities regarding the
allegations confronting Mr Maina.”
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