Sacked Workers Deserve Justice, SERAP Tell Amosun

SERAP’s stated this following the comments by Amosun last week reprimanding the group for petitioning the United Nations Special Rapporteurs after the sacking of six civil servants over an alleged offensive comprehensive summary passage.

The Ogun State government had said that the Civil Service Commission was responsible for the sacking of the six civil servants and not Amosun, adding that SERAP was “jumping the gun and crying more than the bereaved.”

The government also wondered if SERAP had studied the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) in relation to disciplinary control over civil servants.

However, in a statement issued by its executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, SERAP said, “SERAP is not crying more than the bereaved as alleged by the government but merely carrying out its mandate to promote and advance the human rights of all Nigerians including those of the sacked education officials.

“The acts or omissions of the Civil Service Commission crucially engage the responsibility of the government of Ogun State in so far as they raise issues in respect of constitutional rights and the fulfilment of the country’s international human rights obligations and commitments, as it is clearly the case in the unjust sacking of the education officials.

“The people of Ogun State, including the sacked education officials, reasonably expect that when the Civil Service Commission fails to comply with constitutional rights and international treaties in the discharge of its functions, their government would stand up for them rather than attempting to dodge responsibility.

“The government of Ogun State and the Civil Service Commission acting on its behalf are therefore obliged to consider full respect for human rights in the discharge of their functions and exercise of their discretion and authority.

The organisation therefore called on Governor Amosun to exercise his authority and leadership by acting urgently and immediately to redress the glaring injustice to the sacked education officials and ensuring their reinstatement.

“It doesn’t seem too much to ask that the Ogun State government stand up for justice, fairness and human rights whether it is through its direct acts or omissions or those by the Civil Service Commission. Indeed, it is consistent with the letter and spirit of the constitution and international law that it should be incumbent on the government to do so.

“Happily the special rapporteurs have assured us that they are looking into the petition. So, the earlier the sacked officials are reinstated the better,” SERAP said.