COVID-19: Reactions trail FG’s order on level 12 officers, others to resume work

Reactions have trailed the directive of the federal government that federal civil servants from Grade Level (GL) 12 and below resume normal duty effective from Wednesday, December 1, 2021.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, gave the order in a circular with Reference Number: HCSF/3065/Vol.1/107, dated November 26, 2021.

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She advised that all public officers who were yet to be vaccinated visit designated medical or health facilities for vaccination.

Some of the federal civil servants who spoke with our correspondent on the matter, said the directive was a welcome development.

Others said the stay-at-home or work-from- home order was not effective as a large number of the affected staff were still coming to office in the guise of being on essential duty.

“Some of us actually enjoyed the stay-at-home order; after all our salaries were not affected and some actually travelled or engaged in other businesses,” a worker said.

However, the Director, Communication, HoCSF, Malam Abdulganiyu Aminu, said federal civil servants were eager to resume duty after some months of working from home. 

Daily Trust recalls that the government in an HoCSF circular, HCSF/3065/Vol.1/47, dated December 22, 2020, and signed by Dr Yemi-Esan, ordered federal civil servants from GL 12 and below to work from home following a spike in the spread of COVID-19 across the country.

The order was extended three times as part of measures to curtail the spread of the virus and also to enable the workers to be vaccinated with the approved COVID-19 vaccines.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, in a circular, also announced that all federal workers would be barred from office same December 1, unless they showed proof of their vaccination.

Mustapha said, “It would be recalled that as part of measures to curtail the spread of COVID-19, officers on GL 12 and below were directed to work from home. Following the advice of the PSC on COVID-19, this category of officers are expected to resume duty on Wednesday, December 1, 2021.

“Furthermore, in line with the recommendation of the committee on COVID-19, Mr President has approved the vaccine mandate policy. All federal government employees would therefore be required to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or present a negative COVID-19 PCR test result done within 72 hours.”