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About 268 None Existing Staff have been discovered on the payroll of Kogi State Judiciary.
This was part of the discoveries by Kogi High Court’s Council of Judges’ subcommittee on Repositioning and Supervising the Directorate of Personnel Management of the Court.
Chairman of the Committee, Justice Muhammed Etsu Umar while submitting the report to the acting Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Josiah Joe Majebi said “After a careful check of the names of newly employed staff from January 2021 to June 2022, the staff disposition list and payroll, it was discovered that some of the names on the payroll could not be found on the staff disposition list of the courts and other departments.
He noted that “Therefore, it is an indication that though their names are on the pay roll but they do not have duty stations and do not work anywhere in the Inspectorate offices”
The Chairman explained that “We discovered that we have about 40% increase of seven hundred and six (706) staff within the period under review.”
“With the discovery of this astronomical rise in our number of staff within this period, we decided to examine the rise by juxtaposing it with the finances and infrastructure of the judiciary with a view to its sustainability and there were names found on the pay roll but not found in the staff register.”
“This contains thirteen names which added to the 255 gives us 268 none existing staff on the pay roll but are not traceable to any duty station” said the committee Chairman.
“It is our recommendation that it is an abnormality for a staff to be on pay roll without duty station. Such situation should be immediately corrected by termination of employment of such persons affected.”
Responding, the Acting Chief Judge of Kogi State, Hon. Justice Josiah Joe Majebi, pledged to implement the recommendations of the committee without delay.
While appreciating the committee members for a job well done, the Chief Judge said the committee’s assignment continues as it was a permanent committee which would be functional throughout his tenure in office as the Chief Judge of the state.
Commending the state’s Judges in their new supervisory roles over Directorates of the High Court, the CJ noted that the High Court of Justice of Kogi State was defined in the past by the quality of her Judges who are blessed with wisdom, knowledge, competence, calmness and discipline.
“I appointed Hon. Justice M. E. Umar to head this committee and my lord Hon. Justice A. O. Salihu as member knowing fully well that honesty, commitment, decency and diligence will be involved.
“So the decisions being implemented are in the best interest of the institution as I am being guided by the three principles of showing love and being concerned with the problems and happiness of the people I lead; recognizing that other persons in the organization are relevant and significant and as well ensuring that they are secured under our leadership.
“I used these three elements as a foundation for my administration so that when we started we had already known that the welfare of the staff of the judiciary and the good name of Kogi State Judiciary is paramount to us. So we all decided that we will come together for the benefit and the interest of the system so that the system can be placed properly.
“And when I assumed office I said the prevailing order cannot achieve what I want to achieve so I had to joggle with the order. So I changed the DPM and have always invited the JUSUN Chairman because staff welfare and the interest of the system should always be our purpose individually and collectively. We cannot afford to allow the system to collapse.
The 4-man committee which also comprised a Deputy Director in the Directorate, Mr. Paul B. Egwu, as member also has the Acting DPM/DCR of the High Court, Ezema A. Beatrice Esq., as its Secretary.
