Some suspended civil servants in Delta State, on Monday accused the Civil Service Commission (CSC) of nepotism and favouritism in the recall process as ordered by the state government.

The workers, who were employed in the twilight of the immediate past administration of Emmanuel Uduaghan in 2015, were suspended by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa over alleged irregularities in the recruitment process.

The governor subsequently set up a committee to review the process with a view to recalling qualified Deltans among those who initially got the job.

However, some of the suspended civil servants rose in protest on Tuesday in Asaba, alleging that most of them were schemed out when the recall process started last December.

Chairman of the group, Clement Erhadje, blamed the CSC for their exclusion after a list 450 persons was released as those recalled after the review.

“It saddens our heart that when the state government decided to recall the suspended civil servants of 2015 through the office of the CSC, names of genuine persons were excluded.

“You will recall that when the names of 450 persons were short listed in December 2019 which led to our protest on December 23, the permanent secretary assured us of the commission’s readiness to attend to our case and till this moment, all we hear is that letter has been given to politicians and the practice of favouritism and nepotism at the commission has been the order of the day.

“The purpose for which we were suspended for the past five years is what is happening in CSC, and even worse. The CSC should be transparent by publishing the outstanding names as it did to the first 450 names, if not, we will have no other choice but to use legal means,” he said.

Erhadje, however, appealed to CSC Chairman, Nkem Okwuofu, to show motherly love by considering them for re-engagement, maintaining that they are genuine Deltans in need of sustainable employment.

However, the state government has consistently maintained that the suspended recruitment process was done in good fate, adding that those who have been recalled were genuinely screened from the original list, and found to be qualified for the civil service job. (Daily Sun)

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