From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
New Era for Sustainable Leadership and Accountability Initiative (NESLAI) has reinstated that subjecting directors for elementary computer proficiency test for the post of permanent secretaries is nothing but ridiculing the civil service and the nation at large.
The Executive Director, Edwin Olorunfemi while speaking with journalists in front of Head of Service, Abuja yesterday stated that the office of permanent secretary is very delicate ànd so selection should be based on competence and experience.
Olorunfemi added that the body had summited letters to relivant authorities,stating why computer proficiency test should not be used for the selection and appointment of permanent secretaries.
He said” As the name of our organisation implies, New Era for Sustainable Leadership and Accountability Initiative, we want to be part of every leadership process and we saw an opportunity in the selection and appointment of the permanent secretaries into five states- Ekiti, Enugu, Nasarawa, Katsina ànd Lagos . So we want to advise the government that appointment and selection of permanent secretaries should be based on competence instead of elementary examination.
“We have submitted letters to the chairman Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service and chairman House Committee on Public Service matters and the office of the Head of service and a sister organisation has done that again. So, we are submitting another letter today at the National Assembly to the Senate president and the office of the speaker of the House of Representatives and again to the Head of Service.
NESLAI spokesman Basah Mohammed in his remarks stated that permanent secretary office is a post of leadership that is responsible for policy formulation and implementation, therefore, the appointments should be based on competence and past achievements.
He said” we should be looking for people, leaders that will help in proving solution to the numerous problems that the country is passing through instead of looking for computer experts,that is not what we want now. Using ICT to qualify permanent secretaries is nothing but making mockery of the entire civil service.”