Fuel subsidy: Head of service says no to reduce work days

By Bintu Jidda
Kanempress
26th July 2023

The Head of the Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, says the Nigerian government has no plans to reduce work days over the increase in the price of petrol due to the removal of petrol subsidy.

Yemi-Esan said on Tuesday in Abuja at a parley with media executives as part of activities to mark the 2023 Civil Service Week.

Mrs Yemi-Esan, said government was working on palliatives to sustain civil servants and all Nigerians.

“We don’t have any plans to reduce working days for civil servants in view of the hike in PMS and cost of transportation. However, a committee has been set up to look into this,” Mrs Yemi-Esan said.

“The committee is currently working on getting gas-powered buses to convey civil servants to and fro. We’re also working on the conversion of some vehicles from PMS into gas. Also, the minimum wage is also being reviewed,” she noted.

Mrs Yemi-Esan said the ongoing verification exercise for civil servants across the Ministries, Departments and Agencies had captured 69,854 officers across the six geopolitical zones.

The head of service said that the verification exercise under the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Personnel Information System was to curb ghost workers and retain credibly employed civil servants.

Also, Mrs Yemi-Esan said that the verification exercise had discovered 1,618 fake or illegal employment letters and the subsequent suspension of the officers.

The theme of the Civil Service Week is ‘Digitalisation of Work Processes in the Public Service: A Gateway to Efficient Resource Utilization and National Development’.