The Emily AIG Imoukhuede Foundation on Thursday awarded 40 civil servants with N500, 000 cash each, in fulfilment of its pledge made during 2022 Civil Service Week Celebration.
The foundation during the 2022 civil device week celebration, pledged to give the award to selected civil servants who performed creditably well in their different MDAs.
Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman of AIG Imoukhuede Foundation, a major partner with the office of the HOCSF in civil service development, made the pledge to civil servants who distinguished themselves in their services.
AIG Imoukhuede is a non-profit/non-partisan organisation with a mandate to champion the reform of the Nigerian economy into an open, private sector-led economy that is globally competitive on a sustainable basis.
Speaking at the award ceremony in Abuja, Mr Aig-Imoukhuede expressed delight over the present crop of civil servants in Nigeria with the innovative ideas initiated by the present administration.
Aig-Imoukhuede said the gesture became imperative and also served as a mark of honour to his late mother, Mrs Emily Aig-Imoukhuede, who was in her life time, an active civil servant before she retired from the service she rendered to her fatherland.
“Most worthy distinguished recipients of 2022 awardees, my friends in government, I am really glad to be here today. Out of many things we have to fulfill, of course the principal thing today is to fulfill the pledge I made during the June 2022 civil service week celebration.
” The pledge and commitment I made on behalf of the AIG Imoukhuede Foundation when you all received your national recognition award during 2022 service week, by way of presenting to each of you the N500,000 cash ward in appreciation of excellent works you have done, ” he explained.
According to him, the Imoukhuede Foundation recognises how critical public servant is to actualising the dreams of any nation and the foundation has recognised public servants as one of its major partners.
He said as a son of a former civil servant, he had regarded how his parents were being regarded during their days in the course of their service to the nation.
According to him, public servants are one of the most important groups, but less recognised in spite of their imminent contributions to the growth and economy of the country.
In her remarks, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, expressed pleasure to witness such a gesture by her office with private partner.
Yemi-Esan said it was unusual for the office of the HOCSF to celebrate civil servants with cash award during any annual civil service week occasion.
“That is why I am really excited today that 40 civil servants have excelled at their duty post and each one of them has received half a million naira and they have their alert to prove that the money has actually gotten to their accounts.
” I can only say a big thank you to my big brother Aig-Imoukhuede for this and for putting smiles on the faces of the civil servants once again,” she said.
According to her, the gesture will motivate the civil servants to perform better than they did.
The HOS, however, advised the recipients to make good use of the money and not to relent in their efforts as the gesture could motivate them more in their services to the country.
Meanwhile, Mr Babatunde Aina, Director (Governance) Cabinet Affairs, office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and who is one of the recipients, expressed delight over the gesture by the foundation and the Federal Government through office of the HOCSF.
“I can say categorically that the AIG Imoukhuede Foundation has been in the public in the forefront of driving excellence in the public service.
“The foundation has been into a number of initiatives and this of us in the office of SGF can testify to this. And we appreciate what you are doing sir. ”