Omamus Thomas, Lagos
November 22, 2014 – Morale is now down among senior officers in the Ministry of Information in Lagos State following an arrangement that recently threw up a junior officer ahead of senior officers in the ministry.
We gathered that about two months ago, Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Ronke Osho (Level 17 officer) had issues with the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Information, Mrs. Oluranti Odutola when it was brought to the attention of the PS that Osho allegedly leaked information regarding shoddy handling of events (press) marking the 2,600 days of Governor Babatunde Fashola to the press.
Sources told our reporter that the PS was infuriated and consequently redeployed Osho who is due to retire in 2015 to Lagos State University, Ojo as Information Officer.
This, our source said marked the beginning of the problem in the ministry. “Naturally, there should not be any problem because there are at least four other level 17 officers who could have stepped into her shoe without any hassle”, the source said.
Trouble however started when Mrs. Toro Oladapo just promoted to level 16 few months back was made Director of Press and Public Relations, a position that is next to PS.
Oladapo transferred her service from Federal Information to Lagos State. She came in as Chief Press Secretary to former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Princess Adebisi Sarah Sosan.
She was however deployed to the Ministry of Information as a Level 14 officer following the exit of Sosan. She was later promoted to level 15 four years later before her current Level 16, which she got few months back.
We gathered her emergence is causing problem in the ministry since her senior officers are finding it rather demeaning and impossible to submit their weekly report to a junior officer. This development, our source said is already affecting the ministry.
