Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, has countered Minister of Interior, Mr Abdulrahman Dambazau, who on Sunday blamed her and Federal Civil Service Commission for the reinstatement of former Chairman of Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms, Mr. Abdulrasheed Maina, to office.

Mrs. Oyo-Ita said through a statement by her Assistant Director, Media Relations, Mr Mohammed Manga, “The attention of the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation has been drawn to several media reports that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has approved the reinstatement into the Federal Civil Service of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina and his subsequent posting to the Ministry of Interior.

“Head of the Civil Service of the Federation wishes to inform the public that the reinstatement and posting of Mr Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina never emanated from the Office of Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

“Consequently, the purported reinstatement and posting by the Office of Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is totally erroneous and misleading.”

Dambazau had in a statement by his Press Secretary, Mf Ehisienmen Osaigbovo, denied responsibility for Maina’s recall to service.

The statement explained that Maina “was posted few days ago to Ministry of Interior by the Office of Head of Service on an Acting capacity to fill a vacancy created following the retirement of the Director heading the Human Resources Department in the Ministry.”

The minister blamed Maina’s recall on the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation and the Federal Civil Service Commission.

He said the two bodies are responsible for “issues relating to Discipline, Employment, Re-engagement, Posting, Promotion and Retirements of Federal Civil Servants.”

“It is understood that Maina’s last posting was with the Ministry of Interior, and that is probably why he was re-posted back to the Ministry,” the statement added.

President Muhammadu Buhari had on Monday ordered the immediate sack of Maina and directed Oyo-Ita to provide a detailed report on the matter to his office by the close of work yesterday.

PT