Newly Absorbed / Employed Staff,
Ministry of Defence HQ,
Ship House,
Abuja
February 8,2012


The Minister of Defence,
Ministry of Defence HQ,
Ship House,
Abuja

CopyOffice of the President of the Federation,
The National Assembly
Minister for Youth and Employment
Accountant General of the Federation
Office of the Head of Civil Service
Association of senior Civil Servants of Nigeria
Independent Corrupt practices commission
Economic and financial Crimes Commission
Chairman, Senate committee on Defence

APPEAL FOR RESCUE

Sir,
When we were employed over a year ago as senior staff in the Ministry of Defence our families were full of joy that in the harsh Nigerian economic climate, their sons and daughters had found jobs. Little did they suspect that our employment would turn into Civil Slavery!

Civil service rule 020107 categorically prohibits the employment of unpaid staff, yet after more than a year in the employ of the Ministry of Defence, we are yet to collect any emolument whatsoever! We are financially embarrassed, unable to pay the school fees of our children, the rents in the houses where we live, and for public transportation to and from work on a daily basis. Some amongst us who once owned cars have been forced to sell them to settle debts while others who have not sold cannot afford even the money to renew licenses. We do not have access to the national health insurance and cannot pay for medical care for ourselves, our spouses, children and dependants. Rule 040101 states that as a general rule states that as a general rule emolument shall be paid as from the date of assumption of duty.

For a time we were willing to believe the delays were due to the customary inefficiencies inherent in a large bureaucracy but after attempting to negotiate with the Directors in the ministry we are now convinced that a fraud of massive proportions is being perpetrated within the confines of our ministry. A fraud designed to cheat over 1000 young professionals of their eIn these days when we read in the newspapers, that accumulated funds e.g. pensions are being found stashed away in private residences of some directors, we believe we have justifiable cause to fear for the emoluments of over one thousand senior civil servants accumulated over fifteen months. But we hope that this not the case with our ministry!

Worse still, we have been denied our initial employment benefits i.e. our transportation allowances and first 28 days allowance in lieu of hotel accommodation (vide civil service rule130105). We have indeed been told categorically by some Directors that we should not expect these allowances which have already been paid to our colleagues in other ministries all over the federation.

Government financial regulations stipulate that all unspent monies are retired to chest at the end of the financial year. Are we then to believe that funds released for our payment in 2010 and 2011 have been retired to chest or are we to believe that there was a deficiency of cash which must be treated as loss of fund and investigated under provisions of chapter 15 of the financial regulations?

We are tired confused and financially embarrassed by the situation in our ministry and collectively raise our voices to appeal to your good offices for rescue. We pray that you will intercede on our behalf to investigate and deliver justice, and rescue us from further financial embarrassment.



Yours faithfully
signatories: