Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has stated that the welfare of workers and pensioners will remain a priority for his administration.
Makinde made the remarks on Tuesday at the 2021 Public Service Forum in Ibadan.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the governor was represented at the forum by the Head of Service, Alhaja Ololade Agboola.
“The Millennial Public Service: Springboard from Poverty to Prosperity,” is the theme of the 2021 Public Service Forum.
According to the governor, the transformation of any society or system is dependent on the effectiveness and efficiency of its civil/public service agents of development.
He revealed that there was an ongoing search for officers to fill the positions of Permanent Secretaries, Executive Secretaries, and General Managers in the state’s civil/public service.
The governor emphasized that his administration has prioritized worker welfare since its inception.
He stated that employees’ salaries and pensions were paid on or before the 25th of each month.
“Also, despite Nigeria’s economic situation, various projects initiated by my administration are not being halted.”
“Recently, we inaugurated the construction of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Iseyin campus with the release of a sum of five million Naira as a start-up grant.”
“We have also approved the N43.1 billion construction of the 76.7-kilometer Iseyin-Ogbomoso road.”
“This will facilitate staff and student movement between the LAUTECH’s two campuses.”
“In addition, education has been a priority for our administration since its inception, with the sector accounting for the largest share of the budget for the third year in a row.”
“The sector was allocated N54.1 billion, which equates to 18.37 percent of the 2022 budget,” Makinde said.
The governor promised that his administration would continue to use the state’s resources wisely for the benefit of its people.
Earlier, the Head of Service, Alhaja Ololade Agboola, stated that the forum was organized to contribute to the development of the public sector’s institutional, human, and technological capacities.
Mr David Olatunde, Permanent Secretary, Civil Service Commission, represented Agboola.
She stated that this would force civil/public servants to deliver public goods and services to the entire citizenry more efficiently.
According to her, the best practice in the civil service today is a focus on professionalism, with all officers expected to improve themselves by obtaining relevant additional academic and professional qualifications.
“They must also keep abreast of and familiarize themselves with current issues,” Agboola said.
The Head of Service praised Gov. Makinde for his dedication to raising the living standards of the state’s workers and pensioners.
She urged the civil servants to reciprocate the gesture by always giving their best effort.
Mrs Joan Ayo, a retired Federal Permanent Secretary, was the guest speaker, and she stated that no nation can develop beyond the capacity of its public service.
Political neutrality, meritocracy, integrity, impartiality, patriotism, professionalism, discipline, accountability, transparency, and anonymity are among the core values of public service, according to Ayo.
She claimed that if such values were instilled in the state’s workforce, the civil service would be able to lift the state out of poverty and into prosperity.