Local government employees in Oyo State have been urged to be punctual at their duty posts and show greater commitment to the service by diligently discharging their duties in strict compliance to civil service rules .
The chairman,Oyo State Local Government Service Commission, Bashorun Akinwale Solomon Akinwole gave the charge at separate meetings with council staff in the course of the ongoing staff verification exercise across the local governmentd in Oyo State.
Akinwole disclosed that the Commission have been inundated with complaints from public sprited individuals about the high rate of absenteeism and cases of staff that had absconded from duty. He said these reports informed the Commission’s decision to embark on the verification exercise.
“Our visit is part of our statutory responsibilities at ensuring discipline, assess compliance to service rules, evaluate the working atmosphere and to authenticate the number of staff on the payroll of the Councils across the State”,he explained
The LGSC Chairman stressed that the Staff audit was not aimed at witch hunting but designed to aid effective planning, manpower development and improved service delivery. He, however, expressed dismay at the lackadaisical attitude of some local government workers stressing the urgent need for attitudinal change to justify their monthly earnings.
Earlier,in meetings with polical functionaries and principal officers before the commencement of the exercise ,the Commission Boss reiterated the need for excellent teamwork and unity of purpose which he said would ensure smooth administration and fast track development across the Council areas in the state.
He further charged top career officers to play their roles effectively by offering sound professional advice to their Councils chairmen, to ensure compliance to administrative procedures in the implementation programmes and projects.He added that clear communication and supervision should be maintained with their subordinates to discourage disregard for extant service rules and due process.
Reponding to issues raised during the interactive sessions,, the Permanent Secretary of the Commission, Deacon Taiwo Olafimihan Adewale announced an upward review of training allowance for participants attending Commission sponsored training workshops.He explained that the revised allowance would henceforth be determined by the distance of each participant’s local government from the training centre.
While commending Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration for prioritizing manpower development and worker’s welfare, the permanent Secretary noted that the huge resources committed by the government underscored its commitment to capacity building.He, however, warned that deliberate absentism from training workshops by any local government staff would not be tolerated and would be treated as an infraction.
Deacon Adewale also urged Council workers to embrace the Commission’s core values of professionalism,accountability, commitment, teamwork, good ethical conduct and zero tolerance to corruption.
The verification exercise which commenced a week ago has so far been conducted in 20 local governments.The exercise is being led by the LGSC Chairman, Bashorun Akinwale Solomon Akinwole along with other board members including; Alhaj Yusuf Ali,Barr, Akeem Taiwo Oke,Mrs Christiana Nike Arewa, the Permanent Secretary, Deacon Taiwo Olafimihan Adewale, Zonal Permanent Secretaries and other principal officers of the commission.
