The Bureau of Public Service Reforms, BPSR, has commenced verification exercise for payment of severance package to disengaged staff of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, in Kano State.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that the NIS had carried out a 2006/2007 severance exercise, disengaging 1,330 officers in various cadres and levels in accordance with the Guidelines released by the Bureau of Public Service, BPSR.
Addressing journalists shortly after declaring the verification exercise open in Kano on Wednesday, the BPSR director-general, Dasuki Arabi, said a team of officers from stakeholder-MDAs are in the state to carry out the exercise for the northwest zone.
According to him, the exercise is in continuation of the efforts to conclude the lingering issues associated with the severance exercise across all MDAs and parastatals.
Mr Arabi noted the exercise was to determine the extent of short payment and non-payment to the disengaged staff of the NIS and other Federal MDAs/Parastatals with the aim of processing and payment of the difference.
While urging the beneficiaries to arm themselves with the relevant documents that are required for the exercise, the DG assured swift payment of the benefits immediately after the verification.
“Kindly be informed that Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) was one of the Federal Government agency that carried out severance exercise in the year 2006/2007. This was due to reforms by the Federal Government to rejig the workforce at that time.
“During the exercise NIS disengaged a total of One Thousand Three Hundred and Thirty (1,330) officers in various cadres and levels in accordance with the Guidelines released by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR).
“You were only part of over One Hundred Thousand Officers and other workers disengaged from the Federal Public Service.
“Payment of severance benefits to the disengaged staff of NIS (as in the case of others) came with a lot of issues as they were initially laid off before other sister Agencies carried out the exercise.
“Due to much agitation, the Board and its affiliates worked together to allow those who were pencil down for severance to still be at work.
“The current effort of the BPSR and other Stakeholders was born out of the need to straighten your records to settle the balance of your severance benefits in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current Administration.
“Most of you spent many youthful and useful years working tirelessly to uphold the principles of justice, fairness, and security. You have not only been valuable assets to the Immigration Service but have also touched the lives of many with unwavering commitment and professionalism.
“As a result of the special trainings you received, you left indelible marks on the immigration landscape. Your dedication to the protection of our borders, the enforcement of laws, and the facilitation of legal migration were nothing short of exemplary.
“I believe you have armed yourselves with the relevant documents that are required for the verification exercise.
“While the Team settles down to work, I want you to be patient and orderly so as to enable them verify your documents with ease,” he urged.
