The Abia State Government has launched a crusade against corruption in the civil service, urging civil servants and stakeholders to join forces in the fight.
In his inaugural meeting with Permanent Secretaries in his office, Abia State Head of Service, Mr. Benson Ojeikere, condemned corruption in all its forms, stating that it has no place in the civil service and must be eliminated. “Corruption is a cankerworm that undermines the integrity of our institutions, erodes public trust, and hinders our ability to deliver quality services to the people,” he said.
The Head of Service, who called on Permanent Secretaries and Heads of other Agencies to ensure accountability and transparency in government operations, also enjoined them to closely monitor the activities of their staff as they would be held responsible for their actions.
The number one civil servant also stressed the need for workers to rebuild their image following the negative perception of the public towards civil servants.
The Head of Service, who observed with regret that the actions of some civil/public servants have tarnished the reputation of the service, charged workers to be committed to restoring the dignity of the service by blatantly refusing undue influence and upholding honesty and integrity both in and outside the service.
Mr. Ojeikere called on Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to embark on in-house training for their staff, pointing out that this will educate them on Public Service Rules and financial regulations, among other guidelines. He assured the readiness of the government to train and retrain the workforce for excellent performance.
In her contribution, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Obi Chianakwalam, appealed for the resolution of verification challenges faced by staff and pensioners to facilitate their salary and pension payments. She assured the administration’s preparedness to make the service more responsive, efficient, and effective in serving the needs of the citizens.
