CORRECTIONAL SERVICE: Group tasks Buhari, Aregbesola over Jafaru Ahmed’s Illegal stay in office

A group, Good Governance Initiatives, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, to take immediate steps in relieving the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Correctional Service, formerly known as the the Nigeria Prison Service, Jafaru Ahmed of his post and apoint a new heldsman for the service.

According to the group, relieving Ahmed of his current office has become a matter of national importance as he has continued in office despite attaining the mandatory constitutional age of retirement since July this year.

The group also insisted that his continued stay in office was I illegal and an afront on the posture of the Muhammadu Buhari administration, adding that faulure to act now will only help in rubbishing the administration’s commitment to fairness, the rule of law and incorruptibility.

The group made the call in a statement issued by its National Coordinator, Sulaimon Abdul in Abuja on Sunday, adding that the service and its staff had surfered since Ahmed took over as Comptroller General in 2016.

“The Nigeria Correctional Service deserves something much better than what it currently has. CG Jarafu Ahmed has literally brought the service and its staffers to their knees. President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola will be doing the nation a world of good to immediately show him the way out and appoint a new CG that can lead the service in the spirit of the current reforms and repositioning efforts of the Federal Government.”

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The group, which also said it had it on good authority that the CG had stopped taking salaries from the service, wondered what he was doing staying back in office.

“It is curious that CG Ahmed has remained in office despite not taking salaries any longer. What is he staying back for? His not drawing salaries means he is no longer a state of the service and should therefore follow the path of honour by bowing or be sacked.

“There are experienced and highly noble officers in the service who can step in and make the Nigeria Correctional Service the pride of the nation and a beckon of hope for inmates.

“Without doubt, a greater percentage of the staff of the service cannot wait for CG Ahmed to vacate office, especially those who have been denied promotions that are duly theirs over the years. Members of staff whose morale have been killed and just waiting and praying for Ahmed to pack his bag and go.

“We are thereby appealing to President Buhari and Minister Aregbesola to act immediately so that the spirit and intent of the reforms embarked upon by government in the service can see the light of the day”, the group said.

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