Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has restated the resolve of the state government to invigorate the workforce through its new Civil Service Transformation Strategy with a view to enhancing efficiency and effectiveness of the workforce.
According to the Governor who spoke at a send-forth ceremony for two former Heads of Service and 26 Permanent Secretaries who had retired between 2007 and 2011, the transformation “strategy spells out interventions for transforming the civil service into a strong, efficient, effective, dedicated and value-based institution with the capacity to assist the government in achieving” its 8-point agenda.
Governor Fayemi said “the strategy takes into account the various civil service reforms from 1999 through 2010. The civil service transformation strategy of this administration has six key result areas namely, effective governance of the civil service, organisational efficiency and effectiveness, professional and result oriented civil servants, ethical and accountable workforce with a changed work culture, improved competence of civil servants as well as improved public financial management.”
While commending the retirees for their meritorious service to the state, Dr. Fayemi disclosed that names of retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries would henceforth be included in the state’s protocol list and in future be considered for State honours as a mark of appreciation of their contributions to the advancement of Ekiti State.
He added that his administration has resolved that officers in that cadre would henceforth be allowed to go home with their official cars as parting gifts.
“It is worthy of note that this crop of retired officers played remarkable roles as senior bureaucrats to ensure the smooth take-off of Ekiti State upon creation in 1996. Many, if not all of them, I understand were performing their official duties under the shades of trees at the inception of the state, while the few, if any, lucky ones were crowded in a few available offices”.
The Governor said his administration was determined to accord priority attention to the welfare of retirees through prompt payment of gratuities and pensions; adding that it was hoped that the senior citizens would furnish the present administration and subsequent ones with wise counsel that would transform the state.
Fayemi debunked speculations in some quarters that the Social Security Scheme for the elderly introduced by the administration was a propaganda, stressing that the scheme has reached the fifth month yet the government has not failed in paying to beneficiaries while the scheme is currently being expanded to accommodate more senior citizens.
The Governor called on people who are still in active service to build on the achievements of the retirees as the development of the state depends on the civil service. He added that the state government would not renege on its promise to always accord priority to the welfare of workers.
Meanwhile, a former Minister of Education and retired Permanent Secretary in Ondo State, Dr. Olaiya Oni has commended the Dr. Kayode Fayemi-led administration for repositioning the State civil service; stressing that any government that gives recognition to the bureaucracy will get the best out of them.
The former Minister added that a revival of the bureaucracy would eventually bring the Yoruba people who have always dominated the civil service to the front-burner of development in Nigeria; adding that seven out of ten professionals in Nigeria are Yoruba who have contributed to Nigeria’s growth and development.
“Those of you have read my books will know that I have always said that the Western region was a pace-setter in public management so use that experience now to guide the political leadership in the western states of this country so that we can become a force to be reckoned with because of course without the economic base you are just talking politics and we have the culture, orientation and ability,” he said.
In his response, one of the awardees who was a retired Head of Service and currently a commissioner in the Civil Service Commission of Ekiti State, Elder Samuel Bankole commended the state government for remembering to honour them, saying that many of them had retired since 2007 but previous administrations had not deemed it fit to recognise them despite their service to the state.
Last modified: March 10, 2012
