From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has made a case for synergy among Southwest States on public service matters, especially in the areas of capacity building, information sharing, training, discipline, promotion, recruitment for effective service delivery.
The Governor made the call on Thursday when he received in audience, the Head of Service, Ondo State, Pastor John Adeniran Adeyemo, and some retired and serving permanent secretaries from the Ondo State Civil Service Commission in his office in Ado-Ekiti.
Fayemi at the brief meeting, stressed the need for the sister states in the geo-political zone to develop joint initiatives and synergize in areas pertaining to information technology and its impact on the public service.
He called on the civil service leaders to build on the vision behind the establishment of the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) in 2013, with a view to promoting regional integration that would facilitate sharing of knowledge on issues relating to public service.
Governor Fayemi highlighted the need for public service leaders to maintain a non-partisanship principle by serving the people on the basis of equity, justice and fairness. This according to him would strengthen and promote a healthy public service.
“On our part, we are trying all we can to motivate people in the service to be more attuned to modern day delivery of public goods. To be more professional and more service oriented and we are not disappointed at all with what they have been doing under the able leadership of our Head of Service.
“On the region wide basis, this is one of the areas we highlighted as a priority when the work of DAWN started few years ago in 2013 and this was chosen as one key areas to share knowledge with one another and develop joint initiatives and to synergize on a number of areas particularly information technology.
“Make sure you maintain your lane as nonpartisan public servant not to get yourself involved in political issues which can be dangerous for the health of the service; that we have always preached on our own side and I know that your governor too is desirous that the public service serve the people not only the partisan basis but on fair and just basis. These are the areas you must continue to work on to improve the quality of service delivery.
“On our part we must continue to work to improve on the remuneration, support that we render to the leadership and the personnel in the service,” he added.
Earlier in his remarks, Pastor John Adeyemo said following his appointment in March as the Ondo State Head of Service, he found it necessary to visit the leadership of Ekiti State Public Service for peer review in order to under-study and gain from their experiences.
The Ondo Head of Service who was accompanied by the Ekiti State Head of Service, Mrs Peju Babafemi and some permanent secretaries in the State, noted that he started his civil service career with the Ekiti State head of Service and some of the permanent secretaries in the Old Ondo State.
He added that his coming to the State would also strengthen the ties that existed between the two states especially in areas of public service delivery.