Ekiti Govt. sacks 2000 workers employed by Fayose

Government of Ekiti state has declared null and void, the employment of over 2000 workers by former Governor Ayodele Fayose, which was carried out after the July 2018 Ekiti State Governorship Election adding that the affected workers could apply in the next exercise.

Commissioner for Information, Muyiwa Olumilua, said the state government’s decision followed the report of a committee set up by the state government to review irregular appointments in the public service between 2014 and 2018.

Olumilua, who addressed journalists on Thursday on the outcome of Wednesday’s State Executive Council meeting, said affected workers, who had been warned earlier against Fayose’s last-minute appointments, could apply in the next exercise.

He said the Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, had directed the Head of Service, Ayodeji Ajayi, “to collate all available vacancies in the civil service, with the overhead implications to enable the state government prepare to recruit suitable and qualified Ekiti citizens, irrespective of party affiliations.”

He added, “The 169 officers recruited in 2014 but had their appointments terminated by the Fayose administration shall be considered for re-absorption by the House of Assembly Service Commission but on a case-by-case basis.

“The officers reinstated into the Local Government Service Commission between October 16, 2014 and October 15, 2018 are to be re-absorbed by the relevant personnel boards and migrated to biometric payroll with immediate effect.

“All 272 officers employed by the Fayose administration, who are still on manual payroll, shall be considered for absorption into the civil service but on case-by-case basis.”

The Chairman, Trade Union Congress, Sola Adigun, who disclosed that Labour would meet the Head of Service on clarification on the issue, said, “We will hold Fayemi by his words. He had said there would be no vendetta or victimisation.

“We plead for mercy on behalf of these workers. The punishment for the mistakes of the past government should not be meted on these innocent Ekiti people. We want government to look into the plight of these workers.”

Fayose, in his reaction, described Fayemi administration’s decision to sack the workers as wickedness and political vendetta promoted to the peak. He urged victims of the action “to place their hope in God and enforce their rights to seek redress in the court of law.”