I Didn’t Re-instate Maina —Oyo-Ita Debunks Reports

There is a twist to the controversy surrounding the surreptitious recall and reinstatement of the embattled Chairman of the Presidential Task Force On Pension Reforms, Alhaji Abdulrasheed Maina Monday as Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita debunked some media reports alleging that her office approved the re-instatement of Maina and posted him to the Ministry of Interior.

Mr Mohammed Manga, Assistant Director, Media Relations, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, OHCSF, refuted the reports in a statement he signed on Monday in Abuja.

“The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation wishes to inform the public that the re-instatement and posting of Alhaji Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina never emanated from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

“Consequently, the purported re-instatement and posting by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is totally erroneous and misleading.”

The Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen Abdulrahman Dambazau, Retd., on Sunday blamed Oyo-Ita and the Federal Civil Service Commission for the reinstatement of Maina to office.

Dambazau had in a statement by his Press Secretary, Ehisienmen Osaigbovo, denied responsibility for Maina’s recall to service.

He said the two bodies are responsible for “issues relating to Discipline, Employment, Re-engagement, Posting, Promotion and Retirements of Federal Civil Servants.”

The statement explained that Maina “was posted few days ago to the Ministry of Interior by the Office of the Head of Service on an Acting capacity to fill a vacancy created following the retirement of the Director heading the Human Resources Department in the Ministry.”

“It is understood that Maina’s last posting was with the Ministry of Interior, and that is probably why he was re-posted back to the Ministry,” the statement added.

President Muhammadu Buhari had directed the immediate dismissal of Abdulrasheed Maina, a civil servant, who went missing for years after being declared, wanted for corruption.

The president said the circumstances of Maina’s return to the civil service must be investigated;

He also asked Oyo-Ita to submit the report of her investigation before the close of work on Monday.

Maina had fled the country to escape arrest by the police and other security agents on his trail, but was allegedly reinstated to a higher post.