Ogun State Governor locks out deputy, aides over lateness

There was drama at the Oke Mosan, the secretariat
of the government of the western Nigerian state of
Ogun today when Governor Ibikunle Amosun
locked out his Deputy, Prince Segun Adesegun and
three of his Commissioners for coming late to the
office.
Apart from the Deputy Governor and the
Commissioners, there were some civil servants
and other Political office holders who were also
shut out.
Our correspondent gathered that the two gates
leading to the expansive complex were locked at
exactly 8 a.m., a development which caught the
Deputy Governor, the Commissioners, Senior
Special Assistants, Aides and hundreds of the
workers in different cadres unaware.
Apparently miffed by the development, it was
further gathered that the Deputy Governor had to
return to his lodge to avoid further
embarrassment.
Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Taiwo
Adeoluwa decried the late coming attitude of the
workers, warning that
government would not condone their nonchalant
attitude to work any longer.
He noted that the civil service rules and regulation
on punctuality were clear and unambiguous,
urging workers to adhere strictly to them to avoid
sanctions and other penalties.
"This action is a routine exercise to ensure that
civil servants know the essence of punctuality and
imbibe it as a virtue and not aimed at frustrating
or scaring anybody, 'if Governor Amosun could
make it to the office before 7:30 am, there can be
no excuse for anyone who comes late to work", the
SSG noted.
The State Head of Service, Mrs. Modupe Adekunle
affirmed that all the late comers would be issued
queries accordingly, adding that, 'the query would
be followed to the letter in line with civil service
rules .'
While noting that the gate lockup would be a
routine and continuous exercise, the Head of
Service revealed that all Permanent Secretaries
and Heads of Department had been instructed to
submit the day's attendance registers of their
respective agencies to her office for necessary
actions against those that got to the office late.