The Federal Government has fired a civil servant in the Ministry of Information for writing an article considered critical of the Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
In the letter communicating Yushau Shuaib’s removal from service, the government also referred to him as Assistant Chief Information Officer even though he was promoted Chief Information Officer with effect from January 1, 2012, suggesting that he might have been demoted as well.
The former spokesperson of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, was sacked for writing an article, published by PREMIUM TIMES, alleging that some appointments by Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala were lopsided.
The article, titled, “Still on Okonjo-Iweala over Controversial Appointments” published on March 6, also called on the minister “to ensure that appointments into important positions should be done in credible and transparent manners that can withstand public scrutiny.”
Angered by the article, PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mrs Okonjo-Iweala asked the Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, to discipline Mr Shuaib.
According to Mr. Shuaib, the finance minister telephoned him and fumed that he accused her wrongly in the article but that he remained undaunted.
He was afterwards recalled from his post in NEMA, with his salary subsequently suspended.
But in a letter circulated to his friends and associates on Wednesday morning, Mr. Shuaib announced that he had been eased out of service in the guise of retirement.
He said, “Finally on Thursday October 3, 2013, I received a letter of retirement from the Federal Civil Service, which was backdated to June 20, 2013. Though the letter erroneously referred to me as Assistant Chief Information Officer (ACIO) (because as a fact, I had been promoted a Chief Information Officer (CIO) with effect from January 1, 2012), it contained the charge that I was retired for criticising a public officer.
“I had made up my mind about the civil service that I had served diligently and professionally without allowing myself to be influenced or intimidated by anyone.
“I had been summoned, issued letters of queries and confronted with verbal threats in the vain hope that I would retract the write-up and tender an apology. Of course, I stood my grounds in the same way that I had politely declined the minister’s request during the telephone conversation.”
Mr. Shuaib was hired by the federal civil service in 1993 immediately after completing his national youth service assignment, for his dedication and service.
As a corps member, he won the best writer and researcher award in Delta State for his brilliance and dedication to service. He also won the NYSC National Honours Award.
He served in Federal Ministries of Information, Finance, Health, National Assembly, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), National Press Centre and finally National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) as either Press Secretary or Head of Public Relations.
Despite working for government, Mr. Shuaib remained one of the most published commentators on public affairs in Nigeria, explaining government polices and subtly criticising public officials from time to time.
Information Minister Labaran Maku had told PREMIUM TIMES in April, when Mr. Shaibu was recalled from NEMA following the article, that it was not Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala that requested him to punish Mr. Shuaib.
In a text message response to enquiries by this newspaper, Mr. Maku, through his spokesperson, Joseph Mutah, said then that Mr. Shuaib’s redeployment was in order.
“The Honourable Minister of Finance didn’t authorise the redeployment and doesn’t have to do so. Such matters are within the purview of the Public Communication and Human Resources Departments,” he said.
http://premiumtimesng.com/news/146282-nigerian-government-sacks-civil-servant-criticising-okonjo-iweala.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=nigerian-government-sacks-civil-servant-criticising-okonjo-iweala

This is hard to believe o. Whatever happened to freedom of speech?

If u r a civil servant servant u dnt openly criticize the govt in power, dats one of the characteristics of civil service.

Very old story.
The story is 2yrs old

This is an old story mate. Try harder next time.

This story is expired. i've come across it somewhere.Back to u moderators,Ur jobs aren't only to barn and misbarn unduly.