ALL officers at the directorates in the civil service have unanimously rejected the competence assessment test scheduled for next Monday by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Stephen Oronsaye, and concluded that they were ready to be sacked rather than take part in the test.



Following the report of a meeting between the head of service and the seven-man committee earlier set up by the directors to resolve the crisis, the workers, backed by their union – the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN)–on Tuesday, declared total war on the head of service and resolved not to participate in the test because it was unconstitutional.

Hundreds of the workers, who gathered at the auditorium of the Ministry of Justice in Abuja, voted against the test, and in one accord said they were ready to lose their jobs rather than allow Mr Oronsaye to introduce a system which was not allowed by the rules and regulations in the civil service.

The head of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), ASCSN, Comrade Olorunfemi, and the chairman of the seven-man committee, Mr. Shemuel Moral, who briefed the workers on the outcome of their meeting, held on Monday with the head of service, said Mr. Oronsaye had insisted that the examination must go on.

Making their resolutions known, the workers, under the ASCSN, directed all the servants not to take part in the examination.

Besides, Comrade Olorunfemi said the union would use both the trade union and the legal options to stop the head of service, because the examination was unconstitutional.

He directed them not to participate in the Biometric Data Capturing which starts today in readiness for the test.

Comrade Olorunfemi said the association would picket the venue of the examination if the head of service insisted that it would go ahead, adding that the development would also be challenged in court because it was unconstitutional.

He said: “We are not new to the terrain. We faced the most dictatorial government with all its consultants. We confronted the Obasanjo government. You are the people we fear, are you going to be there for us?

“I came here with a mandate to know if you want to go for the examination or not and you have told us you don’t want competency test. We will employ both the trade union and legal options; the two will go together. We have the capacity to stop the exam on Monday; we are going to picket the venue if truly we are ready. It is our war; it is our battle we will fight it.”

http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/9192-directors-reject-head-of-services-assessment-test-say-test-is-unconstitutional-there-is-no-going-back-oronsaye

i cannot understand their fear for the exams, does it mean that their competence is in doubt well we have young graduate in the street ready to take the exam and take up their job. I suggest the Head of Service draw a battle line on this.

lol!!

I would have been surprised if they had agreed to be tested. Bloody common entrace holders who cant even speak english to save thier lives let alone sit for an exam.

if they take those exams truly, i bet you that less than a percent of them will scale thru, they know what they are running from, these stealing servants

If you know you can't succeed use quarrel to settle the situation.

If I'm the director then they should go

Scenario 1. If they take the exam they will fail - losing their jobs, high pedestal they have placed themselves,
plus the disgrace
Scenario 2. If they don't take the exam - they will lose their jobs (their option) but with their little secret of
incompetence still intact

Wise decision is 2, which they are sticking to

i cannot understand their fear for the exams, does it mean that their competence is in doubt well we have young graduate in the street ready to take the exam and take up their job. I suggest the Head of Service draw a battle line on this.

SPOT ON!
Truly this is the reason why we would keep having incompetent hands manning sensitive position when better qualified personnel rot away elsewhere

See how dirty ur traps are.  Please kindly shut it.

If u know about this test in question, you wouldn't advocate for it to be retaken.

These guys are asked to come to Abj from all parts of the federation without any allowance or accomodation provided for them.  You can imagine their number.  I heard 3 people died the previous time they went for it.

If I may ask, what is the essence of the test since they test is not a recertification or OJT/competency test

See how dirty your traps are. Please kindly shut it.

If u know about this test in question, you wouldn't advocate for it to be retaken.

These guys are asked to come to Abj from all parts of the federation without any allowance or accomodation provided for them. You can imagine their number. I heard 3 people died the previous time they went for it.

If I may ask, what is the essence of the test since they test is not a recertification or OJT/competency


You propably have a VALID reason there, FIREARM but the issue here is why will they vote for not taking the Test?
Why not asked for a decentralise centres ?
It is illogical for an employee to go against outrightly against an employer, this is why there are Unions and in other cases H.R!
But at no time should they come and be bold to say they would rather lose there jobs than to take the test?
What message are they passing to the public and the children?
What ever issue that meant exist they are old/responsible and mature enough to sort it privately…
Except there is more than it meets the eye!

^^^

There will definitely be more to it.
I am not personally involved but got this gist from someone that was there. Imagine getting the hand-outs for the test less then 24 hrs b4 the test and now virtually all of them were told they failed and have to re-write the test

This country never ceases to amaze me

Very simple, it is not all about money

The scenario is understandable but am sure you will also accept that 2 wrongs never make a right ?
It is in this light that the UNION should have stated there poin and stand firmly and not  be confrontational.
It is better the union comes out with superior argument at all time , the world is past taking up arms at any slight provacation

They are simply worried their incompetence will be exposed. Most senior civil servants, some degree holders amongst them, cannot even read and write properly. They rely on consultants and assistants.

All na excuse.

I am not party to taking up arms or revolutions;

but the issue might be that this guys mite have gone about this in a more legit way without making headway.

I dont know the very details. I just want the truth to prevail and let no man ride on another's.

The complete news report


Directors reject Head of Service’s assessment test •Say, test is unconstitutional •There is no going back –Oronsaye
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Written by Soji-Eze Fagbemi and Clement Idoko, Abuja
Wednesday, 04 August 2010

ALL officers at the directorates in the civil service have unanimously rejected the competence assessment test scheduled for next Monday by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Stephen Oronsaye, and concluded that they were ready to be sacked rather than take part in the test.



Following the report of a meeting between the head of service and the seven-man committee earlier set up by the directors to resolve the crisis, the workers, backed by their union – the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN)–on Tuesday, declared total war on the head of service and resolved not to participate in the test because it was unconstitutional.

Hundreds of the workers, who gathered at the auditorium of the Ministry of Justice in Abuja, voted against the test, and in one accord said they were ready to lose their jobs rather than allow Mr Oronsaye to introduce a system which was not allowed by the rules and regulations in the civil service.

The head of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), ASCSN, Comrade Olorunfemi, and the chairman of the seven-man committee, Mr. Shemuel Moral, who briefed the workers on the outcome of their meeting, held on Monday with the head of service, said Mr. Oronsaye had insisted that the examination must go on.

Making their resolutions known, the workers, under the ASCSN, directed all the servants not to take part in the examination.

Besides, Comrade Olorunfemi said the union would use both the trade union and the legal options to stop the head of service, because the examination was unconstitutional.

He directed them not to participate in the Biometric Data Capturing which starts today in readiness for the test.

Comrade Olorunfemi said the association would picket the venue of the examination if the head of service insisted that it would go ahead, adding that the development would also be challenged in court because it was unconstitutional.

He said: “We are not new to the terrain. We faced the most dictatorial government with all its consultants. We confronted the Obasanjo government. You are the people we fear, are you going to be there for us?

“I came here with a mandate to know if you want to go for the examination or not and you have told us you don’t want competency test. We will employ both the trade union and legal options; the two will go together. We have the capacity to stop the exam on Monday; we are going to picket the venue if truly we are ready. It is our war; it is our battle we will fight it.”

He pointed out that the head of service did not have constitutional backing to organise such exam. He said it was the responsibility of the Federal Civil Service Commission in the first place to organise recruitment or promotional examination for the civil servants, especially at that level.

Mr. Moral, chairman of the committee, said their struggle was on principles, adding that there were rules and regulations governing appointments and promotions in the civil service.

He said: “This is a war; you don’t face a war laughing. In going to war you take a position. This battle we are embarking on, if you know you are not going to follow to the end, tell us. I want to continue with the fight and I want to know the people I am leading are ready.

“There must be a sacrificial lamb, for this to succeed and I am ready to be sacrificed and we must all say no to injustice.”

The workers have also sent a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, the Senate President, Mr David Mark, Speaker House of Representatives, Mr Dimeji Bankole, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed and the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ogbonna Onovo, on their decision.

They, however, resolved that all their actions would be peaceful.

However, the head of service has insisted that there is no going back on the post-training promotion test for the directors.

Mr Oronsaye faulted the demand by ASCSN for the cancellation of the re-sit of the competency assessment test for directorate level officers in the Federal Civil Service.

Speaking when he met with members of the association, led by the national president, Comrade Olakunle Olaitan, in Abuja, Mr. Oronsaye said the test, scheduled for Monday, August 9, would be held as planned.

The association had released a four-point communiqué calling for the cancellation of the re-sit of the competency test and that it should not be a pre-condition for promotion of deserving officers in the service.

But the head of service, in his response to the issues raised, said that the Post-Training Competency Test was never a promotion examination, but an effective instrument for screening candidates for promotion, which he said was the responsibility of his office.

He said further that he had always been saddened by the consistent complaints on the competency of officers in the civil service which, according to him, had affected service delivery and resulted in low productivity, saying, “while civil servants will want government to address salary increase and other welfare issues, they resist whenever the issues of competency and low productivity are being addressed.”

He called on civil servants to join in the efforts being made to build a service that will be a pride to the nation, while also explaining that the Specialised Mandatory Training Programme which preceded the test was well planned through several events which included a stakeholders’ forum and another for the review of modules.

He said further that the congestion experienced towards the end was due to the endemic error in staff data in the civil service.

It was, however, mutually agreed at the end of the deliberations that only officers who had good reasons why they needed to retake the training before sitting for the test could be granted such a request.

The head of service also approved that all officers who will be taking the re-sit test could take a week’s leave from official duties to prepare.



http://www.tribune.com.ng/index.php/front-page-news/9192-directors-reject-head-of-services-assessment-test-say-test-is-unconstitutional-there-is-no-going-back-oronsaye

Two questions:
1. If they are so incompetent that they need to take a competency test, why not just fire, retire, or send them to jail for their incompetence and whatever criminal offences they might have committed as a result of this incompetence?

2. Why are these 'directors' afraid of a simple test?

enough reason to sack of all them,bunch of incompetent imbeciles responsible for the total decay of our public sector,and they have turned th public sector to operation ""CHOP I CHOP,NATIONAL CAKE"

to be honest, after a stage in your life, you will find exams very difficult, no matter how smart you are

more to the point, once you've reached a particluar point in your career, tets are an insult

tests are typically for entry level staff into orgnisations

oyb:

to be honest, after a stage in your life, you will find exams very difficult, no matter how smart you are

more to the point, once you've reached a particluar point in your career, tets are an insult

tests are typically for entry level staff into orgnisations

The questions in the test should reflect their directorial level. In other words, they shouldn't be asked college type questions but questions that are more abstract similar to what they will face daily while doing their respective jobs.

^^^

knowing nigerians, i am sure they will just go and dub some gre/gmat /jamb questions and present those as test materials

first on the argument of decongestion, allowance e.t.c is totally rubbish. They have not demanded for that and I am sure there must estacode for that, somebody can correct me, the union could negotiate that to be done in Batches or like some one suggested here decentralized center.
On type of examination, I am sure it must be in tandem with their status. They are scared of exposing their incompetency, and I suggest that they are all sacked and replaced with younger blood who could do the job. period!!!!!!!!

Didn't they take exams before becoming level 17 officers/Directors?
Why the fear now?

Writing this exam is not fair because after passing this exam ,you will now sit for the real promotion exam again ,by the federal civil serv commission , the team who has the real legal right to conduct promotion exams ? .Why 2 exams. May civil servants were asked by the Head of service to come for a training for 2 weeks in Abuja. From Lagos with only 2days notice, thousands of people went for 2weeks stayed in hotels and transported themselves to the venue each day. Till today they were not re embursed

We are led by buffoons who can barely speak, write and read English properly.

This is all about power tussle between the Head Of Service and  the Federal Civil Service Commission. The Head Of Service is flexing muscles  and  feeling  superior at worker's expense by illegally taking over the duties of the Federal Civil Service Commission, by conducting exams and setting up terms for civil servants promotion even though it is not their duty. Thats so so sad.

O boy,so no be only school students dey fear to write exams.na wa o

O boy,so no be only school students dey fear to write exams.na wa o

This is change management, not everyone survives.

Pafuri:

Two questions:
1. If they are so incompetent that they need to take a competency test, why not just fire, retire, or send them to jail for their incompetence and whatever criminal offences they might have committed as a result of this incompetence?

2. Why are these 'directors' afraid of a simple test?

How would that be known except through the competence test?