Head of Civil Service of the Federation and Chairman, National Council on Establishments (NCE), Professor Oladapo Afolabi, has called on the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of governments to adhere strictly to due process in the recruitment and promotion of workers at all levels.A communiqué issued at the end of the NCE 35th meeting held in Kaduna and signed by the Head Service indicated that this directive became imperative in order to foster growth and professionalism in the Public Service.The National Council on Establishments is a consultative and advisory body to governments on establishment matters, job standards and grading, structure, conditions and Schemes of Services.The Council deliberated on twenty seven (27) memoranda, amongst which nine (9) received approval while eleven (11) were rejected. The Council also deferred three (3) memoranda referred two (2) to Committees, stepped down one (1) and adopted one (1).It was stated that the Council arrived at the decision in response to the memorandum on the request to ensure strict compliance with the scheme of service for registered estate surveyors and valuers in the public service. The memorandum on the request for the creation of electoral officer cadre in the scheme of service was also considered.On the issue of the repudiation of pensions of officers who served in other state governments, the National Council on Establishment approved that the matter be tabled before the Council of States for consideration and further action.Also adopted by the Council was the report of the 6-man committee constituted in 2009 to consider establishment related issues affecting all local governments and judicial employees as presented and referred to the Heads of Service of the states to examine it will a view to developing a position paper that would enable the streamlining of public service within the provision of the constitution of Nigeria.Among the memoranda rejected was the request for elongation of the terminal grade level of Community Health Technician Cadre from salary grade level 13 to 14; the request for the inclusion of principal secretarial and assistant chief secretarial assistant cadres and the creation of the secretarial officer cadre in the schemes of service.The Council, however, advised that if additional qualifications were acquired they should migrate to the executive/administrative cadre as appropriate. Also rejected was the request for the payment of 35% of basic salary of secretarial workers as hazard allowance and another 25 of total emolument as wardrobe allowance.The Council also discriminated against some of the professional certificates acquired other than the recognised professional associations like the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) for the purpose of recruitment and promotion.The request that certificates from some professional bodies should be used for purposes of recruitment and career advancement in the public service was also rejected and advised that such certificates should be for proficiency only. It however accepted that professional certificates of proven associations such as ICAN and ACCA could be used for recruitment and career enhancement the communiqué said.Also rejected were the requests for elongation of the printing officer cadre, the payment of hazard allowance to agricultural professionals and that for unified scheme of service for the nursing cadre.The Council further expressed the need for the National Salaries and Wages Commission to make it a matter of policy to consult with states in matters bordering on salaries, wages and staff welfare before issuing regular circulars on them. It also noted the need for a review of salary administration in Nigeria so as to harmonise the basic salary and allowance to different cadres.The next meeting of the Council has been scheduled to hold in Ondo State.
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