When the Kufuor administration assumed office in January 2001, one progressive policy it introduced was a directive to the effect that any public servant in an executive position and due for retirement must go, no matter who he or she is.

The move was aimed at ensuring that young subordinates move up the upper administrative ladder, instead of marking time, while their grey haired superiors refuse to quit.

The Public Agenda newspaper says the directive principle is currently under test at the Social Welfare Department of the Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment where a section of the workers are up in arms against their Director, Mrs Mary Imelda Amadu, who compulsorily retired on December 24, 2006 after six years as Director but is yet to address the situation before it degenerates into chaos.

The paper said its investigations revealed that Mrs Amadu applied to the Chief Director of the MMYE seeking a two year contract after her compulsory retirement from the service.

But the Chief Director of the Head of the Civil Service, E.P.D Barnes found the reasons for Mrs Amadu's contract extension as untenable.

In a letter addressed to the sector Minister, Mr Barnes stated "Sir, much as I am not against her contract, I think the argument advanced fly in the face of officialdom. The new programmes will be supported or are being supported in the name of the Ministry and not in her personal capacity. We are not apprised of these agencies and the programmes. We need to know whether these programmes are not known to other management staff of the Department of Social Welfare."

The letter further said the MMYE might consider "granting her (the) contract appointment, but not in the capacity of Director of the Department. We shall create a Desk for her as Technical Director to take care of said programmes and other issues relating to Social Welfare Development.”

The Chief Director noted that the immediate Deputy to Mrs. Amadu is also due for retirement in December 2007 and it would be unfair not to appoint him as the substantive Director since such a position would enhance his retirement benefit.

However, the Sector Minister, Hon. Boniface Abubakar Saddique in December 2006 wrote to the office of the Head of Civil Service that, "there was the need to retain her (Mrs. Amadu) in her present position for a year to enable the Ministry put the Department on proper footing and create a smooth transition. The extension is therefore required to ensure that on-going programmes are completed on schedule coupled with a proper structure fro handing over put in place".

In a related correspondence to the Head of the Civil Service, Hon Saddique also said he had examined the reasons for Mrs Amadu seeking the contract appointment and "wish to state that this Ministry has no objection to her application except that she should be appointed as Director (technical) in the Ministry and NOT as Director of the Department of Social Welfare."

When contacted for his reaction to the unfolding events in his ministry, Hon Saddique said he was not aware of any letter appointing Mrs Amadu as Technical Director in the Ministry but rather he instructed that Mrs Amadu should act as the Director until a new one is appointed.

He added that the fact that a substantive head of an office has retired is not automatic that a deputy fills his or her place.

Source: Public Agenda