The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has assured public servants in the state that his administration would put measures in place to ensure that the backlog of promotion exercises is avoided.
Governor Abiodun made this known during the celebration of the year 2024 Public Service Week Symposium with the theme, “Building a Socially Responsive Public Service in the 21st Century: The Place of Ethics and Values,” held at the Oba’s Complex, Governor’s Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
He assured public servants in the state that his administration will not neglect their contributions to the state.
The Governor, who described Ethics and Values as the guiding principles that shape the actions and decisions that, in turn, form the foundation upon which trust and credibility are built, urged public servants to continue to remain steadfast in their commitment to the state through their unwavering adherence to the ethics and values guiding the public service.
“We are aware that some of you are due for promotion in 2023 and 2024. I assure you that we are putting in place mechanisms and engaging with the office of the Head of Service to avoid any backlog of promotion exercises.
“Be rest assured that we cannot afford to neglect or toy with the careers of our very energetic and vibrant public servants,” he said.
Prince Abiodun also noted that he has approved the domestication of resolutions of the National Council of Establishment in relation to entry qualifications and career progressions, disclosing that public servants in the state now stand to enjoy a 50% health insurance subsidy.
“I have graciously approved the domestication of several resolutions of the National Council of Establishment, including those related to entry qualifications, career progressions, and other establishment matters in the public service.
“Our administration took a significant step towards enhancing the welfare of our public servants by launching the formal sector of the health insurance scheme with a 50% subsidy exclusively for our public servants.
“This translates to and means that Ogun State workers will only pay N500 monthly compared to the N1,000 paid by other beneficiaries in that scheme,” he added.
Governor Abiodun noted that the core of a socially responsible public service lies in understanding and addressing the needs of the people it serves.
He also noted that his administration, in the last five years, has consistently demonstrated its commitment to capacity building and human capital development within the state public service, adding that significant resources have been committed toward the sponsorship of public servants to professional conferences and seminars in and out of the country.
He commended the Head of Service, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, for being a committed, dependable, and strong ally in the “#Building the Future Together” agenda of his administration.
In his welcome address, Mr. Onasanya commended the Governor for approving the payment of a 50% premium for public servants willing to partake in the health insurance scheme of the state government.
A former Head of Service, Abayomi Sobande, who spoke on behalf of other former Heads of Service present, urged civil and public servants in the state to continue to give their unalloyed support to the present administration.
The state chairman of the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Comrade Isa Olude, appreciated the Governor for his good gesture towards the public service through prompt payment of allowances, salaries, and the recent payment of a 50% premium for public servants willing to enjoy the health insurance scheme.
He assured the Governor of the unalloyed support of public servants toward the success of his administration.
The Vice Chancellor of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Prof. Ayodeji Agboola, said the institution is focusing on achieving food security and sufficiency in line with the ISEYA agenda of the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration.
Prof. Agboola, who provided this insight while speaking with journalists in his office on the institution’s campus in Ago-Iwoye, stated that the university is well-positioned and ready to contribute its quota toward addressing hunger in the country.
The Vice Chancellor said: “We want to key into agriculture. We want to be a part of those who will solve the problem of hunger, and I know that the governor, being the Chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum and being at the forefront of the issue, is passionate about agriculture.”
He noted that, as places with the largest concentration of youths, higher institutions in the state could play a vital role in driving the agricultural program of the government, calling on the Ministry of Agriculture to provide land for staff and students to engage in active farming, noting that the students’ curriculum emphasizes agricultural production.
Prof. Agboola also stated that peace and tranquility are now the hallmarks of the institution, as cases of cultism and unrest have been addressed.
The Vice Chancellor said the school management has developed a conflict-solving mechanism that ensures lasting peace on campus.
He noted that students generally are not violent if they are treated fairly by their management.
He said: “Because of what we have been able to do, cultism has been reduced to a zero level here. What we did was simple; we have a counseling unit, and our students are always engaged.
“I have discovered that students are not violent most of the time. It is because of the attitude of staff toward them. If you oppress students, they will find a way to react negatively. So, as of today, I can say that 90 percent of my students have access to me. They can talk to me anytime.
“We also make sure that we take care of their interests. We discuss them more often at the Senate, and they see that objectivity is present in what we are doing. So when students see that we take care of their interests, hardly will you see them become violent.”
Other measures put in place to ensure peace on campus, according to the Vice Chancellor, include the installation of Closed-Circuit Cameras, screening of people entering the campus at the gate, and the introduction of biometric identity cards.
Prof. Agboola, speaking on the incessant strikes by lecturers in the country, noted that union members on campuses are not unreasonable, as they are composed of highly intellectual individuals who always want to engage authorities in meaningful discussions when they are agitated.
“If you put a round peg in a round hole, I don’t think the unions will always go on strike. If someone who understands them and what they are talking about is in charge, they can reason together.
“What I see in academia is that they will not agree with someone suppressing their opinions, no matter how highly placed that person is. But if you appoint someone they can reason with, like a professor who is one of them, they will go along,” he added.
He stated that the cordial relationship between the management, staff, and students of OOU has led to the stability of the academic calendar, allowing students to complete their programs on time.
