Being employed in the public sector is such a great privilege said Doctor Mrs Susan, the permanent secretary Local Government Service Commission, Lagos Nigeria.
She added that as a young vibrant public servant, we shall be going through lots of rigorous training, seminars, workshops, and orientation classes to get familiar with the activities in the public sector, prepare us for the task ahead, and also get the best of us when posted to our various duty posts and departments.
She concluded her speech by saying "Keeping clean records is the best legacy every government official should work towards", she added that when we get to our various duty posts and departments, we will be exposed to lots of juicy temptations and the ability to resist such temptation starts now, and as from that very moment I made "keeping clean records my ultimate priority"
After 21-day workshops, we all were posted to various duty posts and departments, and as an accountant, I was posted to the store unit of finance, supply, and accounts department, where I met with the head of store and supply, Mr Albert.
Mr Albert is a senior government official who has worked for more than two(2) decades, with a wealth of experience. He called me into his inner office and advised me never to join the bad eggs in the system.
He further warned me never to compromise because the store is a sensitive place to work.
He added that some junior accountants in the unit had already compromised and that he would be counting on me as I would be working as his assistant.
I gladly accepted to work as his assistant and promised to discharge my duties effectively and efficiently.
I further added that he could count on me and as well informed him that I have a strict guiding principle that will always prevent me from compromising or going astray.
After working for a few days, three(3) of the Junior accountants in my unit walked up to me, they asked questions about how I had been coping with my duty post, I replied "It's amazing working here", they laughed uncontrollably and after our discussion, they promised to treat me to lunch.
They came to pick me up in a nice car owned by Dan and We all visited a coffee shop where We bought some coffee and had an amazing time together.
While I was in a rush to the office, they all laughed at me again, at this point I was a bit furious, so I asked, why are you guys picking on me?
They all apologize and, one of them said, "Senior by the time you start making huge money, your love for work will diminish".
I was surprised as regards what he said and I was like "John what do you mean by that"? He replied Bro that was nothing, I was only kidding, you should not take what I have said so seriously.
Oh it is a few minutes' drive to the office, let's visit a watch store to add some new stuff to our watch collections, said Dan.
Moses replied, "That would be cool".They shopped for expensive stuff, Dan asked me to pick something nice with my bills on them, but I declined and replied I am okay buddy.
After the shopping, we drove towards the office, and during our brief discussion, Dan said Senior, we are big boys, we have our respective houses and cars, you just join our crew and start living big.
I replied, oh really! John said yes. John further gives me a brief analysis of how they operate.
John said they have guys in various departments and with the help of the Head procurement unit, they are good to go.
He further explains that the procurement officer will procure multiples of what is needed by each department, and they later sell the excess to their special customers in the market, and after the deal is completed, everybody will take their cut as usual, and wait for a few weeks to strike another.
He added that they have been doing the deal for years and it has always been successful.
John added that they decided to come to me because I am a young accountant and I will need money to foot my bills.
They advised me not to take after Mr Albert, our Unit head. They said he has been working for more than two decades, with nothing or little things to show for it.
After the discussion, I told them I wouldn't be able to join their crew and that they should be rest assured that their secret was safe with me.
They concluded that whenever I changed my mind, they were willing to accept me into their crew, they dropped me and zoomed off angrily.
They were doing their stuff and I was also doing my work as expected.
A year later, there was a change in Government, and the present administration set up a series of audit and investigating committees to look into the affairs of all offices, units, and departments.
During this process, lots of abnormalities were uncovered and all those involved faced a series of panels, afterward all of them were dismissed while some were handed over to the authorities for severe embezzlement and fraud.
Moses, John, and Dan were among the officers who were dismissed and that was how their careers in the public sector came to an end.