Anti-Govt Activities: Nigerian Govt Begins Social Media Use Regulation For Civil Servants

Afraid that the civil servants and of course the general public are using social media to promote anti-government activities, the Nigerian Government has begun the regulation of social media usage among the civil servants.

Saying social media should be used to promote and support the activities of government, the government described the acts of using social media to disparage its activities as improper and against public service rules.

The statement from the Federal Government late Sunday read: “Government has noted with concern the improper participation of public servants in various media platforms, most especially Facebook, Whatsapp, and Twitter applications among others to the extent of disclosing sensitive official government information and correspondences.

“Consequent to the above, all public servants in the state are reminded that unauthorized disclosure of official information and false allegations against the government officials are acts of serious misconduct punishable under Public Service Rules (PSR) No. 030401. 

“In addition, the unethical participation of some serving public servants in the social media put to question their loyalty to the government, which is also serious misconduct and it violates Public Service Rules (PSR) No.030403, as such public servants are to remain strictly guided on the way and manner to use the social media platforms, respecting the civil service pristine dictum of being reticent characters,” the notice issued by Lawal Ado Dustin-ma, Permanent Secretary (Administration), for Head of Civil Service, reads.

The government directed all permanent secretaries and chief executive officers of government ministries, departments, agencies, and parastatals are directed to “inform all staff under them to remain vigilant on the movement of sensitive government documents”.