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The federal government on Wednesday described reports that it is planning to sack 50,000 workers as mere speculation.

Emmanuel Aziken, a
special assistant to the minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka
Wogu, said in a statement released in Abuja that the clarification was
necessary in order to dispel rumours making the rounds that the Federal
Government would sack the workers as part of its civil service reform.

“The federal
government would not, with one hand give to the populace and take same
with another hand,” he said. “President Goodluck Jonathan has, in
various ways, demonstrated his sincere empathy with Nigerian workers
both physically and otherwise. The latest of such his gestures was his
quick approval of the recommendations to bridge the disparity in the
salary scheme of the core civil service.

It is, as such, out
of place for him to go against his track record of proclivity to the
interests of Nigerian workers by approving the plans to unduly retrench
workers. The ministry, however, restate its commitment to actively
promoting employment of more citizens either in the public service or
in the empowerment of business entrepreneurs. As such, I want to
emphatically declare that there is no such proposal to retrench civil
servants for whatever purpose.”

The report quoted sources from the office of the Head of Civil
Service of the Federation, Stephen Oronsaye, as saying that he issued a
circular to compile the data of the affected staff and that he had also
inaugurated a committee to advise him on how to reposition the
Executive Officer cadre in the Federal Civil Service as part of efforts
to reinvigorate the service for effective performance and efficient
service delivery.