Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has been accused of converting his Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants into full-time civil service staff, sparking outrage from the APC Transition Committee. Prince Kassim Afegbua, a member of the committee, alleges that Obaseki added 186 appointees in September and is now absorbing another 152 aides, despite the state’s huge debt burden.
Critics argue that this move is a deliberate attempt to overburden the incoming administration with recurrent expenditure. Afegbua claims that Obaseki refused to recruit civil servants for eight years and only set up the Civil Service Commission two weeks ago.
Key Concerns:
– Overburdening the incoming administration: Obaseki’s last-minute appointments may saddle the new government with unnecessary salaries and overhead costs.
– Lack of transparency: The appointments are seen as a deceitful move to stifle the state’s resources.
– Disregard for due process: Recruitment into the Civil Service must follow established procedures and meet specific needs.
The Edo Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, has also publicly disassociated himself from Obaseki’s recent appointments, questioning their legitimacy and timing ¹. The controversy surrounding Obaseki’s actions has sparked concerns about the state’s financial management and the incoming administration’s ability to navigate these challenges.
