The governor of Cross River State in southern Nigeria, Senator Bassey Otu, has reiterated his commitment to reposition the civil service through professionalism and digitisation.
Governor Otu, who remarked shortly after swearing in a new Head of Service, Mr Orok Okon, said the move was aimed at enhancing efficiency, transparency and accountability.
Otu noted that his administration would also ensure the state workforce was well-equipped to meet the demands of modern governance while prioritising the welfare of serving and retired civil servants.
According to him, the government was determined to restore the pride of the Cross River State Civil Service as the “superstructure” for implementing government policies.
He recalled that between 2010 and 2013, more than eight Nigerian states visited Cross River to understudy its civil service organisation and operational efficiency.
The governor decried the gradual decline that followed and pledged the resolve of his administration to restore the Cross River State Civil Service to its lost glory.
He stated, “As we reposition the civil service, my administration will continue to prioritise workers’ welfare. Monthly salary payment remains sacrosanct, promotions are being implemented as and when due, the yearly incremental step has been restored after eleven years, and very importantly, we have put plans in place to continue defraying outstanding retirees’ gratuities.”
To the new Head of Service, Otu harped on the need to entrench professionalism, fairness and competence across the workforce, reiterating the significance of proper record-keeping, digitisation and continuous staff training.
He noted, “service delivery must be driven by equity, qualification and due process rather than nepotism or bias.”
Responding to the gesture, the HoS, Mr Okon, who is also a lawyer, expressed gratitude to the governor for the appointment and promised to implement the charge on professional efficiency, transparency, accountability, as well as digital reforms in the civil service.
Orok’s appointment and swearing in as Head of the Cross River State Civil Service followed the retirement of the former, Dr Innocent Eteng.