The commissioners and other appointees of the Lagos state government have been directed to appoint their personal assistants and other aides from within the civil service.
This was contained in a circular issued on Wednesday, August 23, by the head of service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
The circular reads: “Appointments of personal assistants from outside the state public service by commissioners and Special Advisers (cabinet and non-cabinet rank) in the discharge of their day-to-day functions is not in line with the structure in the public service, as they will not be allowed any privileges nor permitted to view official documents.
“However, while noting that personal assistants play a crucial role in supporting political appointees towards effective service delivery, this all-important support staff can be internally sourced from Ministries, Department, and Agencies (MDAs) by ensuring that qualified and competent officers are assigned to them, so as not to increase government’s wage bill.
“Consequently, political appointees requesting for personal assistants are hereby enjoined to liaise with the Accounting Officer of affected MDAs and subsequently forward the officer’s name to the public service office for deployment.”
