By Alaba-Olusola Oke
Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has assured civil servants in the state that his administration will not shy away from carrying out its responsibilities by making workers happy.
Akeredolu made the assurance during 2023 Public Servants’ Prayer on Tuesday in Akure.
The governor, who said that no administration would excel without workers’ cooperation, explained that he would always prioritize workers’ welfare.
He said that his vision for the state was for better tomorrow irrespective of religious and political affiliations.
According to him, there is the need for workers and the government to work in harmony.
Akeredolu said that the government had almost paid all outstanding salary arrears, adding that the government would have paid December salary but was advised to pay later so that workers would not spend it on frivolities.
The governor, who urged the workers to be apolitical, asked workers in the state to show their unalloyed loyalty to their service.
He said that workers must do their jobs as required by rules and regulations.
Akeredolu added that civil servants in the state should henceforth wear traditional attires to their respective offices on Fridays.
He said that the government would continue to do the needful for the generality of the state.
Earlier, Mr Kayode Ogundele, the state Head of Service (HoS), said that 2022 was an eventful year in the annals of the State Public Service as the Gov. Akeredolu-administration prioritized workers welfare.
“Regular promotion with financial benefit as approved for public servants as and when due.
“In 2022 alone, a total of 8,415 public servants across the state were promoted with financial benefits.
“Every worker here will agree with me that payment of half salary has become a thing of the past,” he said.
Ogundele thanked Akeredolu’s commitment to workers’ welfare in ensuring the payment of all outstanding salaries.
He also commended the administration for recruiting fresh hands in the critical areas of need.
According to him, staff of the Owena Press Limited who retired some years ago received their gratuities in December.
The HoS said that the Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS) was inaugurated to give public servants and their immediate family members’ access to qualitative health care at low or no cost.
Ogundele said that maternity leave had been increased from three to six months while husband of such female officer would be entitled to a paternity leave of two weeks when the spouse put to bed.
The HoS assured the governor that more than ever before, the public service was poised to rededicate itself to quality service delivery, saying it would not rest on the oars.
Appreciating the governor, Mr Sunday Adeleye, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said that the labour union does not only criticise but also commend the government.
Adeleye promised the government that the labour union would redouble its efforts in the New Year.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Archbishop Oluwole Borokini of the Anglican Diocese of Akure took the sermon.
Borokini, who read from the Book of Exodus, Chapter 33 verse 14 to verse 15, talked on the topic, “My Presence Shall Go with Thee.” (NAN)
