Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has declared that his administration would modernise and create a new face for the civil/public service, by providing tools required to run an efficient system in the state.
The governor gave the assurance, on Tuesday, at the 2021 Oyo State Productivity Day ceremony, held at the Emeritus Professor Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall, UCH, Ibadan.
He appreciated civil servants for their support and commitment to the service, and by extension, the state.
Makinde, who asserted that his administration would continue to give priority to the welfare of workers in order to ensure optimum service delivery in the state, revealed that the selection of awardees for the 2021 productivity awards was based on merit.
He said under his leadership, the government would continue to insist on equity and merit as the guiding principles propelling his administration.
“I listened to some of the speakers’ goodwill messages. They were showing appreciation for prompt salary payment, timely promotions and all of that. Well, I wish I could do that with my money but the answer is no. It is our commonwealth, because the money belongs to all of us. So, we have to utilise it for the benefit of the majority of our people. I will always say that we are in this together and we have to do what is needed for the benefit of all of us.”
The governor warned the people of the state to be wary of individuals, who out of their desperation to take over power, feed the public with falsehood and fake news, forgeting that no matter what happens, the state would outlast everyone.
He noted that if all the bad wishes come to pass, when they get to power, they would be grappling with the problems instead of continuing and improving on the legacy that had been built.
Makinde stated that his administration would do what is just and right for the people of the state till the end of its tenure. He also stated that his administration would ensure that civil/public servants in the state are rewarded for the work they do and that his administration would also continue to look after pensioners.
“This is just a way to appreciate some of you for what you have done so far. And for those who did not get an award this year, you will get yours next year. We are trying to modernise the civil service in Oyo State. The tools that are required to run a modern and efficient system, we will continue to provide for Oyo State.”
Passionate about workers welfare
Earlier, the Head of Service, Mrs Ololade Agboola, acknowledged that Makinde was passionate about workers’ welfare, saying since the inception of the administration in 2019, no worker had been retrenched or laid off.
She added that no governor has ever been magnanimous to the civil/public servants like Governor Makinde in the history of Oyo State.
She admonished the awardees to remain good ambassadors of the state’s civil/public service and expressed optimism that the awards would motivate them to prepare for greater and tougher challenges in their respective careers.
She called on workers to continue to support the Makinde-led administration to achieve its roadmap for accelerated development across the state.
While speaking with newsmen, the Chairman, Oyo State Road Transport Management Agency (OYRTMA), Mogaji Akin Fagbemi, whose agency won the Outstanding Agency of the Year, appreciated Governor Makinde for the recognition and for supporting the state workforce to be productive, pledging that his agency would do more to support the administration.
Emmanuel Ukoh
