CSO Faults Extension Of Osun HoS, Accountant-general’s Service Years

Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has faulted the extension of the service years of the state head of service Mr. Samuel Ayanleye Aina and the accountant-general of the state, Mr. Rasheed Olalere Alabi, after reaching their retirement age.

It threatened to drag Governor Ademola Adeleke to court over the action.

The state’s chairman of CDHR, Comrade Emmanuel Olowu, who stated this at a press conference in Osogbo, said Adeleke had demonstrated enough discontent for the public service rules by retaining the serving officers.

He contended that the governor does not have the constitutional power to elongate the tenure of any civil servant, saying that the idea of extending the service year of retiring public officers is a stampede of the Public Service Rule 020810.

Reacting, the state government through the governor’s spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, said Adeleke is a state leader who is committed to the observance of service rules and the constitution, governs with eye on public interest and remains ever committed to ongoing reform of the public service and the sanitisation of the state’s financial management system.

“It is elementary in law and governance that the constitution is the groundnorm which supersedes any state rules or regulations. That constitution empowers the state governor to appoint into top public service offices alongside attendant powers.

“Mr Governor on assumption of office launched public service and financial management reforms. The reforms are spearheaded by both Mr Ayanleye Aina (head of service) and Rasheed Olalere (accountant-general). The reforms ensure the emergence of permanent secretaries, right placement of personnel, promotion and integrity in the state financial system.

“The governor for strategic public interest and within his constitutional powers extended the tenure of offices of both the head of service and the state’s accountant- general,’’ he said.