The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Civil servants

  • Don’t trust politicians, SDP candidate tells civil servants

    Don’t trust politicians, SDP candidate tells civil servants

    Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Osun State, Mr. Olusegun Akinwusi, has stated that civil servants are better managers of men and resources than professional politicians.

    Akinwusi spoke during an interaction with a group of retirees in his campaign office in Osogbo yesterday.

    He decried the manner in which politicians had nearly ran the nation aground, saying it would be suicidal for public servants to wholly entrust their lives in the promises of politicians.

    The SDP governorship candidate, who served former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and the incumbent, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola as Head of Service (HOS), stated that he had been among politicians and therefore knows what they were up to.

    He stated that civil servants are technocrats who ensure stability and continuity of government and have contributed immensely to the development of the nation.

    “Public officers are expected to be loyal, anonymous and impartial to government but that is not saying we must be blind followers of politicians. Now, they are going around making several promises to civil servants in the state but none of them can be trusted.

    “It is dangerous to just believe in today’s Nigerian politicians who are unstable in their ways. Yesterday they were in PDP, today, they are in APC and by tomorrow they jump back to PDP. Can they be trusted? I say no. We cannot take them by their words”

    “Now, they are prostrating and begging for votes, if by chance they get into office, they become the kings and we become the slaves. They will rule with iron fists as if we are nobody”, he stated.

     

  • Cross River to build 400 houses for civil servants

    • Kwara to demolish buildings on river banks

    Civil servants in Cross River State are to benefit from 400 housing units being planned by the government, Governor Liyel Imoke has said.

    The houses are to be built in Akpabuyo.

    Imoke made this known during a visit by executives of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) led by the state Chairman Comrade John Ushie.

    The governor appealed for support to strengthen the service, saying that labour is part of the process to bring about the expected change.

    He explained that the state had enormous challenges while executing the first phase of the scheme, which it paid for 100 per cent, due to the inability of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria to fulfil its financial obligation.

    Ushie promised that the NLC would partner with the government to enable it achieve its programme.

    Meanwhile, the Kwara State Government has said it would demolish all buildings on river banks.

    This decision was taken after the Chairman of the Task Force on Flood Control and Prevention,  Alhaji Abubakar Kannike, visited some areas affected by flooding in state capital.

    Kannike also said the state government would compensate the owners of the affected buildings. The task force identified roads and bridges that needed reconstruction.

    Kannike said the government would respond to the plight of the people by providing succour for victims of flood disasters in the state.

  • Union rejects govt’s plan to retire civil servants

    Union rejects govt’s plan to retire civil servants

    The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has rejected plans by the Federal Government to retrench 1,050 civil servants on the spurious ground that they are serving in the Service illegally.

    In a statement in Lagos yesterday by its Secretary-General, Comrade Alade Bashir Lawal, the union said given the penchant of Nigerian authorities to pervert the course of justice, the decision by the government to weed out those it alleged were working in the service unlawfully might be a smokescreen to sack innocent civil servants, who had served the nation meritoriously for decades.

    “We demand that no retirement in whatever form should take place until stakeholders including ASCSN verify the claim of the government.

    “We want to make it clear that if the government embarks on such anti-labour exercise without allowing the trade unions to participate in establishing the authenticity of its claim, we cannot guarantee industrial peace and harmony in the civil service if innocent employees are victimised in the process,” the statement said.

    Lawal noted that if government’s decision was not a ploy to retire innocent civil servants, it should have no difficulty in setting up a government/labour panel to fish out the purported illegal civil servants.

  • FG to retire 1,050 civil servants in 3 weeks–Aji

    Alhaji Bukar Aji, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), says 1,050 civil servants that are in the service illegally will be retired in the next three weeks.

    Aji made the disclosure at the ongoing 60th anniversary celebration of the Nigeria Public Service Commission in Abuja.

    He said that the screening done by Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) discovered that the 1,050 civil servants were supposed to have retired from the service long before now.

    “Through the IPPIS, we are able to screen those who are supposed to have retired long time ago and they will leave the service within the next two to three weeks,’’ he said.

    The head of the civil service said that it would create opportunity for those in legitimate service to be promoted.

    Aji said that there had been synergy, cooperation and collaboration between the HOCSF and the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC).

    He assured that the Federal Civil Service would be better in 2014, adding that it would not relent in its efforts to improve the service.

    The Chairman, FCSC, Mrs Joan Ayo said that the commission came into existence in April, 1954 with the functions of employing, promoting and disciplining of civil servants.

    She said that since the commission was the gateway into the service and exit way, the commission should be guided by some rules.

    “As the `entry into’ and ‘exit out’ the service, the FCSC is committed to the traditional core values of the civil service.’’

    She listed the core values as including meritocracy, anonymity, integrity, political neutrality, discipline, impartiality, accountability and transparency.

    Ayo said that the celebration was necessary in order to recall the exploits of the founding fathers of the civil service.

    “We are celebrating the past and looking at where we have got it wrong, so we can improve and do it better,” she said.

    The FCSC boss explained that the civil service was that organ of government that performed vital advisory role.

    “The commission advises the government on policy, anticipating problems and deploying human, material and financial resources for effective execution of public policy.

    The Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. Ayim Pius Ayim, said that government would ensure improved service.

    Ayim, who was represented by Mr Linus Awute, the Permanent Secretary, General Service of SGF, congratulated the efforts of the founding fathers who had worked tirelessly to ensure transparency and meritocracy.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the celebration is: “Civil Service Core Values: The Sine Qua Non for National Development”.

  • Hope rising for Oyo civil servants as Ajimobi promises housing scheme

    Hope rising for Oyo civil servants as Ajimobi promises housing scheme

    •Focus shifts to water supply, education, health and agriculture

    Though it was the usual inter-faith prayer heralding a new working year and all was set to do so, but civil servants in the employ of the Oyo State government got more than they expected last Monday.

    They went jubilating as Governor Abiola Ajimobi reeled out his plans for them in 2014 even as he doled out cash to reward good performance in the previous year.

    With spontaneous rousing greeting, the Governor’s Office Car Park, venue of the prayer meeting, became a rally ground of a sort for the three hours that the programme lasted.

    The Muslim and Christian clerics had opened the meeting with prayers. Traditional worshippers were also on ground to add colour to the event.

    The governor, who spoke last, acknowledged that the civil servants have shown a good level of change for the better within the two and a half years that he took over the mantle of leadership of the state. He lauded their tenacity and encouraged them to keep changing for the better.

    Ajimobi said they were capable of performing any task no matter how difficult it looks, pointing out that they have risen to the occasion in the various ways his administration has challenged them. He cited several examples, starting with the production of the beautiful programme for the event.

    The governor called out an official of the state printing press who produced it, Mrs Margaret Olatoun Oluwafemi, lauded her and rewarded her with a cash gift of N250,000. All the workers jumped up in ecstasy and went into a frenzy of terrific clapping. He also gave the entire team another N250,000 for doing a good job.

    So was the case for Mr. Oyelola Okunlola of the Office of the Surveyor-General that was singled out for dressing well. He was rewarded with N100,000 cash gift.

    For beating his deadline to revamp the Asejire Waterworks in order to provide water for Ibadan residents within three months, the state’s water corporation got a gift of N5 million while all participants at the prayer meeting got a cash gift of N10 million.

    Reeling out his plans, Ajimobi disclosed that a car assembly plant would be opened in Ibadan this year to help more civil servants buy brand new cars. He said, civil servants deserve the best, stressing that it was part of the reasons his administration went for the car assembly plant that would be delivering brand new cars at affordable prices to the masses. He further disclosed that he has taken delivery of a sample of the car which would be assembled by a Chinese firm.

    He also promised to build more low cost houses for civil servants to enable them enjoy decent accommodation. The governor said once the first phase of the project is completed, they would enjoy the opportunity to come and see what is on offer and decide whether they want to participate or not.

    He said he had ordered redevelopment of many governor’s guest houses located in many Government Reserved Areas (GRA) into luxury apartments for purchase and use by residents including civil servants.

    The governor, who said all the cash gifts he gave to the workers were from his personal purse, emphasised his knack for quality, stressing the need for civil servants to always settle for the best.

    “I am a man of quality. So I urge you never to settle for less but to always have positive mental attitude towards service. Not only that, you must also inculcate it into your children,’’ he said.

    He also announced salary review which he said would be done by the end of the first quarter of the year and implemented without delay. Governor Ajimobi disclosed that a committee would be constituted this month to fashion out a wage that would be acceptable to the generality of the workers.

    The governor, however, stressed the need for the workers to redouble their efforts towards improving on the internally-generated revenue of the state.

    Earlier the Head of Service (HOS), Alhaji Tajudeen Aremu in his welcome address, highlighted the several ways the Governor Ajimobi administration has raised the quality of life and work environment of an average civil servant in the state, including training and retraining in Nigeria and overseas, free transportation, upward review of housing and car loans and regular promotion.

    He urged the workers to redouble their efforts to consolidate on the gains of the past. He also urged them to shun crave for ill-gotten wealth and concentrate on how to leave good legacies. Aremu encouraged them to emulate great forebears such as the late Simeon Adebo and Tejumade Alakija as well as Chiefs Theophilus Akinyele and M. S. Adigun.

    He described Ajimobi as a “rescue agent ordained by God to save the state from the holocaust and reign of terror.

    He said: “To the generality of well-meaning people in this gathering, I like us to see Governor Abiola Ajimobi as a rescue agent ordained by God to save the state from holocaust and reign of terror.

    According to Mike Murdock, you don’t know the value of a thing until you lose it. I want to admonish us to do away with sentiments and embrace a vessel that is sold out for peace, progress and prosperity that we are all witnessing in the state. Walter Benjamin said: ‘If the enemy wins, even the dead will not be safe.’ This is our state. We don’t have any other place to go that can be like Oyo State. Therefore, we must watch out for sustainability of the ongoing good works in the state. A word is sufficient for the wise”.

    He also pointed out that “the current year is highly promising as government was poised to focus on total transformation in water supply, education, health and agriculture, having made remarkable success in the areas of environmental beautification and urban renewal and physical development in the previous year”.

    He advised the workers to work harder to ensure the fulfillment of the goal.

    In their sermons, Dr. Segun Olatunji, a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and Sheikh Ahmad Rufai, the Chief Imam of Government House Mosque, commended the commitment and dedication of the civil servants, urging them to continue to reciprocate government’s gesture by renewing their cooperation and support to the government.

    Taking his text from Quran 2: 102-104, Rufai called for more cooperation between workers and the government, stressing that nothing will be impossible for parties that cooperate in discharging their duties. He illustrated with a fable of a hawk, rat, cow and tortoise who worked together for the benefit of all members of the group.

    Rufai emphasised that workers must work excellently well to be able to thank God, adding that workers must also appreciate what the employer is doing well.

    The Muslim cleric advised leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to keep advising the governor well and keep supporting the government. “Cooperation is the best. It brings benefits to all stakeholders.” He said.

    Pastor Olatunji also spoke along the same line, calling on the government to continue to discharge its duties with the fear of God and civil servants working with diligence and honesty.

    They also called for unity among members of the political class to ensure the success of the Ajimobi administration and for the state to continue to move forward.

  • Uduaghan warns civil servants, contractors

    DELTA State Governor Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan yesterday warned employees of the state government, contractors and other officials in the line of service delivery to stop acts scuttling his administration’s people-oriented programmes or face the consequence.

    Speaking at the Iwere Kingdom 2013 Annual Thanksgiving Service held at the Foursquare Gospel Church, Olu palace ground, Warri, he said his administration had done a lot to improve the welfare of the people, but some unpatriotic personnel and contractors were undermining such efforts.

    The governor said his administration established the Urban Mass Transit Scheme to provide comfortable and affordable means of transportation to commuters and was subsidising the cost per passenger by 50 per cent.

    He said information at his disposal indicated that some agents, who were collecting subsidy from the government, had imposed unreasonable amount on the drivers, thereby depriving passengers of the subsidy.

    Uduaghan said he has directed the Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Ben Ibakpa, to probe the allegation and ensure that the agents violating the memorandum of understanding with government are brought to book.

    The governor also frowned at the attitude of medical personnel, including nurses and doctors as well as teachers, who despite the free medical and education schemes at state owned-hospitals and schools, are still collecting illegal levies and fees from patients and parents.

    He warned such unpatriotic and corrupt personnel and service providers to desist from their unscrupulous acts, stressing that his administration would not close its eyes to any infraction of its policies and programmes.

    Uduaghan also took a swipe at contractors, who after jobs are awarded to them, go ahead to sell such contracts or abandon them after collecting mobilisation fees.

    He said to ensure a good society, people should do what is expected of them.

    The governor hailed the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse 11 and the people of Iwere kingdom for remembering to thank God always.

    Rev. Lucky Eruebe of the Church of God Mission, Effurun, said: “There is always a blessing when you give God thanks,” adding: “We must follow due process for our thanksgiving to be meaningful and acceptable in the sight of God.”

  • Orelope challenges civil servants

    Orelope challenges civil servants

    The deputy governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, has charged civil servants to be diligent, upright and prayerful in the discharge of their statutory duties.

    She spoke with journalists recently at the Special Prayer and Thanksgiving for civil servants at the National Headquarters of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Throne of Grace, Ebute-Metta, Lagos.

    The service attracted hundreds of civil servants in Lagos State with Commissioner for Transport, Mr. Kayode Opeifa and Head of Service, Mrs. Oluseyi Williams, in attendance.

    There were prayers, bible teachings and prophetic ministrations during the service.

    She said the civil service is a crucial sector that executes government plans and programmes, stating it requires people of high integrity, innovation and exceptional ingenuity.

    According to her: “Civil servants need to be more diligent, proactive and take their work seriously because any mistake at all that we make could involve lives and paint the country in bad light.”

    Although, she noted that God has been faithful to us as a country in the midst of our challenges, the deputy governor said: “occasionally we need to ask God for divine wisdom, knowledge and understanding as he alone can help us.”

    The general overseer of the RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, charged Nigerians to keep their hope and confidence alive in God.

    Adeboye noted that God will always stand by men who remain faithful, loyal and committed to the course of Christ in any field of endeavour they find themselves.

    “God is looking for true and trustworthy ambassadors who will represent his interest and desires in government and God in turn will celebrate and take the person to the top even in the face of opposition,” he said.

  • Adeboye prays for civil servants

    Adeboye prays for civil servants

    The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, will hold a special service for public and civil servants next Sunday.

    The service holds at the National headquarters of the RCCG, Redemption Way, Ebutte-Metta, Lagos.

    The Special Assistant to General Overseer, Admin/Personnel, Pastor Johnson Odesola made this known in a press release.

    The programme tagged Rehoboth will attract thousands of civil servants from and feature prayers, bible teaching, song rendition and prophetic ministration.

    Odesola said the civil and public service is the brain-box of any nation, stating that an excellent civil or public service makes the running of the government easy and efficient with delivery of dividends of democracy.

    He argued that with divine intervention, the nation’s public sector can become a model that will move Nigeria forward.

    “There is nothing God cannot do and no matter the challenges facing the public sector in Nigeria, it can be surmounted through prayers to God couple with our positive attitude to work,” Odesola stated.

  • Lagos trains civil servants

    Lagos trains civil servants

    The Lagos State government is training civil servants on public procurement.

    At the opening of a three-day training held at the Public Service Staff Development Centre (PSSDC) in Magodo, Lagos, the General Manager of the State Public Procurement Agency, Mr. Akin Onimole, said it would equip officers with the regulations and guidelines to implement the procurement law.

    He said: “So far, the agency has converted about 240 officers into the procurement cadre. The objective of this training is to deepen the knowledge of the officers on real life experience in public procurement by sharing case studies and practical exercise with them.”

    Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Finance, Mrs Adefumilayo Tejuosho, said the lawmakers would ensure the implementation of the Procurement Law.

    She urged participants to take the training seriously, saying that it would enhance their efficiency and dedication to their duties.

  • Civil servants threaten strike in Delta

    The National Public Service Negotiating Council (NPSNC), Delta State Council, has described the contributory pension’s scheme “as a monumental failure”.

    It threatened industrial disharmony should the Delta State government fail to meet its demands.

    In a communiqué issued at the weekend by its Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), it urged “the government to address the issues raised between now and October 31, to avoid industrial disharmony.”

    It accused the government of failure to pay its counterpart contributions to workers as well as retirement benefits to retirees from 2012 to date.

    The communiqué, signed by the chairman, Goodluck Ofobruku and secretary, Lucky Edewor, reads: “In view of the foregoing, JNC is no longer comfortable with government’s fragrant disregard for workers’ welfare and therefore demands the following: Immediate release/payment of outstanding government 10 per cent contribution to workers’ Retirement Savings Account and immediate payment of retirement benefits of retirees in the state from 2012 to date.”

    It accused government of refusal to meet its leadership in the last five years to discuss issues that can cause industrial unrest.

    It viewed with dismay that “the recent National Minimum Wage as adopted by the Delta State Government is not being fully implemented”.

    The JNC praised the government for “prompt/regular payment of workers’ salaries and infrastructural development ongoing.”

    Investigation showed that N7.6 billion would be needed to pay 1,872 retirees from January last year to December.

    It was also learnt that another N1.8 billion would be needed to clear government’s indebtedness to retirees, who are due for retirement between September and December.

    The Nation gathered that the amount deducted by government from the salaries of civil servants, but not paid to their Pension Fund Administrators (PFA), stood at N2.7 billion from May 2012 to February 2013.