Bauchi redeploys over 400 non judicial staff to ministries, departments

By Mohammed kaka Misau, BAUCHI

The Bauchi state government has posted no fewer than 404 staff of the state high court to various ministries, Departments and Agencies.

Emmanuel Sublim, the Chief Registrar of the high court who disclosed this to newsmen in his office Tuesday, said the deployment was approved by Governor Bala Mohammed of the state.

He explained that the deployment exercise started in 2016 by the administration of former Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar.

Sublim said that the deployment has nothing to do with the termination of appointment nor does it connote a demotion of the affected personnel in any way.

According to him, the list submitted and approved by Governor Bala Mohammed was drawn up in 2019, adding that, it is the working list that is being used for the exercise.

Sunlim noted that the exercise is in the best interest of the staff affected and for the development of Bauchi state.

“During the ministerial briefing at the inception of this administration, the management of the High Court of Justice brought this to the fore and His Excellency saw the wisdom behind the idea and directed the management to work on it and make recommendations to his Office”, the Chief Registrar further explained.

He said in the course of the exercise, it was discovered that the judiciary was staffed with petro-chemical, civil, mechanical and electrical engineers, architects, mass communication professionals, laboratory technologists, quantity surveyors, community health officers and many more.

“All of these courses have no place in the judiciary. Even the social science courses like Accounting, Public Administration, National Certificate of Education (NCE) or Bachelor in Education (B.Ed), Marketing et al have some limitations”, Sublim pointed out.

He noted that, “in most of the heads of these offices are being manned by control staff posted from either the Office of the Accountant-General, Office of the Auditor-General or Office of the Head of Civil Service”

“By implication, any person with any of the qualifications could not rise above Grade Level 14, but has the potential of rising to the position of a director or even permanent secretary in their relevant ministries.This is what prompted our friendly governor to immediately approve the deployment of the 404 staff now being carried out by the Office of the Head of Civil Service” he said

Also Speaking, the Chairman, Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Bauchi, Mohammed Salisu, assured the affected members that the judiciary will ensure transparency and fairness in the exercise.

He said that the management has been engaging the union throughout the exercise such as technologists, quantity surveyors, community health officers and many more.

He said that the development is what prompted the governor to immediately approve the deployment of the 404 staff as is now being carried out by the Office of the Head of Civil Service.