By Ismaila Chafe
The Permanent Secretary, State House, Abuja, Tijjani Umar, says President Muhammadu Buhari will inaugurate new Presidential Wing of the State House Clinic in December.
Umar, who made this known at the State House SERVICOM Unit Awards for the Year 2021 in Abuja, revealed that the construction work on the befitting health facility had already reached 75 per cent stage of completion.
According to him, the multi-billion naira medical facility will be one of the legacies the Buhari administration will leave behind for incoming administrations in the country.
“The presidential wing of the State House Clinic, which we laid the foundation on Nov. 1, 2021, just seven months down the road, we are almost at 75 percent.
“The aspiration of the President is to leave a legacy for the in-coming President, for himself, the Vice President and everyone that is entitled to use that facility.
”By the time the clinic is completed, we would have answered the question of ‘why don’t we have something befitting as a health facility?’
“By the grace of God, when the President is able to commission that facility in December, it will show the world that we now have a befitting health facility in the country for the President and every deserving person,” he said.
On the SERVICOM Awards, the Permanent Secretary urged public servants to work hard at all times, to justify their job and wages.
He said subordinates at every workplace must be treated with respect, to motivate them to do more for their organizations.
Umar was at a point in his career, the nodal officer of the SERVICOM unit of the State House before rising to his current position of a Permanent Secretary.
He said: “This occasion is actually my own and our own together, I have served the Ministerial SERVICOM unit diligently and I enjoyed every bit of it.
“I gave my best and I loved what I was doing though not a very high profile job, it was a job I got full satisfaction from.
“SERVICOM was a stepping stone for me to be where I am today. I did not foresee it but at the point where God willed it, it happened.
“If I didn’t take those responsibilities very seriously, probably I would have missed this opportunity today.
“There are people who shoot down their own goodwill and good luck. So, we all have a small role to play in our destinies.
“Staying focused, committed and truthful, as we carry out our official responsibilities, is very important in shaping our ascension to greater responsibilities.
“Treating people with respect and giving them their due is very important. If you deny others their dues, you will not also get your own at the point where you are supposed to get it,’’ he said.
On the award ceremony, Umar said all leaders must appreciate people who helped them execute their responsibilities.
According to him, public service is all about making things possible for others.
The Permanent Secretary, therefore, congratulated the award recipients, as he urged those who missed out to work harder.
The National Coordinator of SERVICOM, Mrs Nnenna Akajemeli, said the award served as a way of rewarding and honouring excellence at government agencies.
“We are here to reward and honour those who have served outstandingly well. The awardees have gone through so much rigour and just few were chosen from a huge number.
“We in the SERVICOM unit are always part and parcel of driving improvement in the State House. Today we are giving awards to deserving Staff of the State House.
“It gladdens the heart when somebody gives you a pat on the back for a good job done. It comes with a magic touch, when you are appreciated.
“I have no doubt that this annual award ceremony among other things, promotes and improves staff productivity in the State House,” she said.
She lauded the State House Permanent Secretary for being passionate about SERVICOM and focused on making service delivery in the State House better.
Nodal Officer in charge of the SERVICOM unit in the State House, Mr Abia Onanawo, said 28 staff were recommended by a special committee for the 2021 awards but only eight made it to the final stage.
Responding on behalf of other recipients, Monday Owenegu, thanked the State House for finding them worthy, adding that the award would spur them to do more for the government and the country.
Other awardees were John Faith, Ama Francis, John Okorie, Sanusi Sani, Abimbola Fakuade, Abbas Haruna, and Mrs Felicia Ogbonna, who rose from the position of a cleaner to that of a confidential secretary in the President’s office. (NAN)
