The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo state has accused the outgoing administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki of converting his Senior Special Assistants (SSA) and Special Assistants (SA) into full time civil service staff.
The party claimed 186 of such appointees were absorbed in September this year to the already bloated number of aides around him.
In a statement issued in Benin City on Wednesday by a member of the transition committee, Prince Kassim Afegbua added that another 152 aides are again been considered for employment to compound the problem.
Kassim noted: “The interview for the exercise is presently ongoing as part of effort to overburden the incoming administration with huge recurrent expenditure, aware that the State is already bugged down by huge debts burden.
“Governor Obaseki, for eight years refused to recruit civil servants to fill up vacant positions and energize the civil service.”
He also refused to set up the Civil Service Commission until two weeks ago, in the twilight of his failed administration.”
Continuing, Kassim expressed concern that the governor’s action was coming barely five days to the end of his tenure.
He described the development as not only a wicked act, but a huge disservice to the incoming APC-led administration of Senator Monday Okpebholo.
The state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Chris Nehikhare was yet to respond to inquiry as at the time of filling this report.
