20th May, 2013
Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
There was drama at the Oke Mosan, the secretariat of the government of the western Nigerian state of Ogun today when Governor Ibikunle Amosun locked out his Deputy, Prince Segun Adesegun and three of his Commissioners for coming late to the office.
Apart from the Deputy Governor and the Commissioners, there were some civil servants and other Political office holders who were also shut out.
Our correspondent gathered that the two gates leading to the expansive complex were locked at exactly 8 a.m., a development which caught the Deputy Governor, the Commissioners, Senior Special Assistants, Aides and hundreds of the workers in different cadres unaware.
Apparently miffed by the development, it was further gathered that the Deputy Governor had to return to his lodge to avoid further embarrassment.
Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa decried the late coming attitude of the workers, warning that
government would not condone their nonchalant attitude to work any longer.
He noted that the civil service rules and regulation on punctuality were clear and unambiguous, urging workers to adhere strictly to them to avoid sanctions and other penalties.
“This action is a routine exercise to ensure that civil servants know the essence of punctuality and imbibe it as a virtue and not aimed at frustrating or scaring anybody, ‘if Governor Amosun could make it to the office before 7:30 am, there can be no excuse for anyone who comes late to work”, the SSG noted.
The State Head of Service, Mrs. Modupe Adekunle affirmed that all the late comers would be issued queries accordingly, adding that, ‘the query would be followed to the letter in line with civil service rules .’
While noting that the gate lockup would be a routine and continuous exercise, the Head of Service revealed that all Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Department had been instructed to submit the day’s attendance registers of their respective agencies to her office for necessary actions against those that got to the office late.