There is palpable fear among top civil servants in Delta State following the threat by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to expose those who have altered their age to remain in the system.
The Governor made the threat while frowning at the attitude of some civil servants in the state who engage in age falsification with the dubious intent to prolong their years of service.
He warned those involved to desist from such dubious acts or face severe sanctions while threatening to expose those engaged in such nefarious activities.
Oborevwori handed down the warning on Tuesday evening at a dinner organised by the state government for the College of Permanent Secretaries, led by the State Head of Service, Mr Reginald Bayoko; Heads of Extra Ministerial Departments; Directors and Deputy Directors in the state civil service which was held at the Event Centre, Asaba.
The Governor said any civil servant who had attained the age of retirement should retire from the service to create opportunity for younger ones to be employed, adding that civil servants should always enter their real age in their documentation.
“If you know you have attained retirement age, please, retire so that the younger ones can be employed in the civil service. You should use your real age so that people can grow in the system. When you are old, please allow the young ones to take over,” he said.
Checks by Delta Revealed indicate that at least top four directors have hurriedly submitted their letters of retirement as a result of the threat by the Governor, with hints that many more may follow.
Although it was not clear whether the four directors who submitted letters for voluntary retirement are above 60 years, which is the prescribed age for exit from the service, our source claimed that they may have reached the border of 35 years, which is the other requirement for leaving the system.
Meanwhile, a lot of junior and middle-level civil servants were said to be happy with Governor Oborevwori’s stand on age falsification, stressing that the policy will pave the way for rapid upward promotion and create room for the intake of new staff into the civil service.
