Aggrieved New Civil Servants Write Open Letter To Gov Ortom Over N6,000 Induction Fee.

OPEN LETTER TO GOVERNOR ORTOM OF BENUE STATE

Dear Sir

Sometime in October 2015, the Bureau of Manpower Development and Training, Benue State, asked the newly employed civil servants which were before then mainly contract staffers of the Benue State Internal Revenue Service to come forward to their office and pay the sum of N6,000.00 only for an induction course into the public service of Benue State. The new civil servants numbering about a thousand or more paid the N6,000.00 as demanded.

The induction course was carried out in a span of three days (30th November to 2nd December, 2015) wherein attendees were given course materials prepared by resource persons and were also served lunch comprising of sachet water, rice and beef in takeaway packs.

However, a look at the State Internal Revenue Administration (SIRA) Law of Benue State, 2015, which came into force on the 10th day of April, 2015 only N2,000 is to be charged for induction courses. The law specifically at page A44 has made provisions for the revenue sources of the Bureau of Manpower Development and Training and the rates or fees to be collected as follows:

Description of Revenue Source Rates

Course fees N2, 000.00 per candidate

Admission Fees N500.00

Civil Service Exam Fees N500.00

Hiring of Auditorium a day N500.00

Refresher Courses Fees to be determined by nature of course

The SIRA Law is the highest law when it comes to rates, levies or fees collected in Benue State and any rate, levy or fee charged outside and above the law is per se illegal.

Please find below the Public Officers Induction Course Registration Ticket showing the sum of N6,000.00 paid by participants of the induction course:

Also below is a portion of SIRA Law which specifies the amount of fees to be collected by Bureau of Manpower Development and Training, Benue State:

We therefore urge His Excellency to call on the Bureau of Manpower Development and Training to explain why it collected the amount of N6, 000.00 as induction course fees contrary to the provisions of the SIRA Law.

Yours faithfully



Aggrieved New Civil Servants