Lagos Government Stops Outside Sourcing Of PAs For Commissioners, SAs [PHOTO]

Hopes of many All Progressives Congress (APC) members and unemployed young graduate in Lagos of getting job as Personal Assistant (PAs) to Commissioners and Special Advisers may have been dashed after the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, approved that all political appointees source for their support staff from the over 50,000 civil servants on the state payroll.

The state government said that there were qualified and competent officers that would be assigned to them as support staff whenever they desired to have such while serving the state.

It noted that anyone that may have had initial agreements with his support staff before assuming office could do so but that individual would not be allowed any privilege nor permitted to view official documents assigned to the political appointee to work on.

As gathered, any support staff, who are not public servants, appointed by commissioners and SAs would not be paid by the government, rather the political appointee would source for the funds privately and he or she may not be allowed to gain access into some offices, in order to prevent information from getting to Lagosians through the unauthorized channels.

This was stated in a circular with Ref. No: CIR/HOS/23/Vol.1/070 seen by The Guild on Tuesday and issued by the Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, directing Accounting Officers in Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) to give it deserved Service-wide publicity.

According to the circular, It is hereby notified for general information that appointments of Personal Assistants from outside the State Public Service by the Honourable Commissioners and Special Advisers, (Cabinet & Non Cabinet Rank) in the discharge of their day-to-day functions is not in line with the structure in the State Public Service as they will not be allowed any privileges nor permitted to view official documents.

“However, whilst noting that Personal Assistants play crucial role in supporting Political Appointees towards effective service delivery, this all important support staff can be internally sourced from Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) in the State by ensuring that qualified and competent Officers are assigned to them, so as not to increase the Wage Bill of the Government.

“Consequently, Political Appointees requesting the need of Personal Assistants are hereby enjoined to liaise with the Accounting Officer of affected MDAs and subsequently forward the Officer’s name to the Public Service Office for deployment”.