By Precious Oluwole

Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has emphasised the need for the public service to be rejigged and equipped to upscale its roles and processes to meet the trends of best world practices in Public Administration.

The Governor made this emphasis while addressing the public servants at grand finale of the 2024 public service week, held at the Dome on Monday.

According to the Governor, the public service commission is an avenue for self-assessment, to take stock of the progress made in the year and chart the way forward for the Public Service.

He noted that the Service is both the engine room and the memory bank of government, stressing that its time for the Service to be more proactive, innovative, dynamic and be tech-driven.

He added that the capacity of the institutions and its operators must be enhanced for effective and efficient service delivery to justify the huge resources invested in it and to serve the society better.

While appreciating the public servants in the State for their support and cooperation since his assumption of office as Governor in the last 10 months, the Governor reassure them that his commitment to prompt and regular payment of salaries, allowances and pensions is sacrosanct; yearly promotion of deserving officers will not abate; steady defrayment of inherited gratuities will continue; and support for healthcare contributory scheme has come to stay.

“While the opportunity for vehicle and housing loans will not cease; training and retraining of workers will endure. The gradual recruitment into critical sectors of the Service to address acute personnel gaps will also continue as much as practicable. I want to assure you that even with the financial burden that all of these may attract, our administration will never ever contemplate downsizing the workforce.

“Our administration has given its commitment to payment of seventy-three thousand Naira Minimum Wage. There is no going back! No politics about it! In a matter of days, discussion on an agreeable template of realistic and sustainable consequential adjustments will be concluded with the Labour. I can understand the anxiety of our workers but rest assured that in the usual character of our administration, our word is our bond”.

The Governor admonished the workers to hold dear the virtues and ideals of professionalism, be good ambassadors of the Public Service at all times. “One critical area you must prioritise is resource generation and management. All financial leakages must be blocked and frivolous expenditures discouraged. Although this may come with initial discomfort, it will surely pay off, both for the Service and the entire State”.

He remind them to conduct themselves in the most civil manner before, during and after the Governorship Election slated for 16th November, 2024. “Our State is noted for peace and tranquility and that must be sustained. You should not lend yourselves unwittingly as tool to any unscrupulous political cause”, he concluded.

Earlier, the Head of Service, Mr Bayo Philip, in address, appreciated the Governor for constant payment of workers salary, key appointments and the promotion of over five thousand and fourty civil servants in Ondo state.

He commended the workers for discharge their duties diligently and responsibly, assuring them of the Governor’s passion and commitment to their welfare.

In attendance were; The Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami, Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Tayo Oluwatuyi, Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa, members of the State Executive Council, among other top government officials.