FG reinstates Yushau Shuaib four years after

The Federal Government has ordered the re-instatement of embattled civil servant, Mr. Yushau Shuaib, after a four-year legal battle over his controversial dismissal from service.

Mr. Shuaib was a Chief Information Officer on Grade Level 14 at the Ministry of Information and Culture before he was compulsorily retired in 2013.

However, a letter of reinstatement with reference No. FMIC/LEG/307/VOL.1/122, and signed by the Director of Human Resources Management, S.U. Ewa on behalf of the Minister Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, informed Shuaib that he had been reinstated into the civil service with immediate effect.

The reinstatement letter reads in part, “I am directed to refer to the National Industrial Court judgement dated 22nd November, 2017 on the above subject and to inform you of the Honourable Minister’s directive that you be reinstated into the civil service as Chief Information Officer, SGL14 with immediate effect. You are therefore requested to report to the undersigned for further instruction, please.”

In a September 17 letter to Mr. Mohammed accepting his reinstatement, Mr. Shuaib commended the government’s decision to comply with the judgment of the National Industrial Court delivered on November 22, 2017.

Mr Shuaib, while thanking the Minister, requested the prompt settlement of his outstanding salary arrears from June 2013 to date and gave his account details for remittance of his entitlements.

Justice David Isele of the National Industrial Court (NIC) had in his judgment ordered the immediate reinstatement of the former spokesperson of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), into the public service.

Mr. Shuaibu was forcefully retired in 2013 over an opinion article he wrote on former Finance Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

He subsequently sued Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) and Federal Ministry of information over the premature retirement, in the case handled by James Ode Abah of the Bamidele Aturu Legal Chambers.

Earlier in his statement of defence, Mr. Shuaib had stated that Public Service Rule 030421 gave him the right to write opinion articles.

According to that section: “Nothing in this rule shall be deemed to prevent an officer from publishing in his own name, by writing, speech or broadcast matters relating to a subject of general interest which does not contain a critic of any officer.”

He also cited Section 39 (1) of the 1999 Constitution which states: “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including the freedom to hold opinions and receive and impart ideas and information without interference.”