13th September, 2011
Barely four days after the state government announced the retirement of 12 Permanent Secretaries from the public service, and another two yesterday, the state government has relieved another batch of five Permanent Secretaries of their jobs.
The affected top public servants are Mr Tokunbo Ogunyomi of the Government House, Arch. Ayo Vaughan of the Ministry of Housing and Frank Omolayole of the Governor’s Office.
Others are Permanent Secretaries in the state Ministry of Water Resources, Adewole Adekoya as well as the former Clerk in the state House of Assembly, Barr.Demola Badejo who has since been floating having been removed from the Ogun State House of Assembly.
Although no reason was given for their retirement, our correspondent gathered from a reliable source that it might not be unconnected with Governor Amosun’s determination to run a slim administration in the state having considered the lean purse of the state.
The retirement of these five Permanent Secretaries brings to 19 the total number of Permanent Secretaries who were relieved of their duties by Ogun state government after its first one hundred days in office.
The state government had last week Friday announced the retirement of 12 of them from its workforce and another two on Monday this week.
Those retired last week friday were: Korede A. Lawal, Olajide Adeola Oyenuga, Oluseyi Oludare Banjoko, Tajudeen Atanda Obawunmi, K. A. Ogunfowodu, Alhaji Muyideen ‘Wola Salau and B. A. Oyeti.
Others are Adekunle Adegbite, Mufutau O. Lawal, Alhaji Moshood Iyanda Opebiyi, Olubunmi Olusola Okuboyejo, H. O. Adeniji, Alhaji Adesegun Solarin and Babatunde M. Salawu.
Though there are insinuations about why the governor is embarking on the mass purging of the top officers in the state, some people are of the opinion that some top civil servants in the state civil service still owe their allegiance to the former governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and the present government may not feel comfortable working with them.
A source within the government told our correspondent that the governor is trying to ensure that no loopholes exist in his government.
According to the source, ” in his effort at keeping the state workforce free of blackmail, deceit and infidelity, a mass purge in the state’s workforce may be effected to enable the present administration in the state succeed.”
By Abiodun Onafuye, Abeokuta