The Abia State Head of Service, Mr. Ojeikere Benson, gave the assurance when the executive members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Abia State Council, paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

Mr. Ojeikere, who described the Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, as a good man with a good heart, assured them of the Governor’s commitment to providing a comfortable life for all Abians.

The HOS, while commending them for their good work while in service, urged them to always pray and support the present administration to succeed.

The number one civil servant, who reaffirmed the Government’s interest in the affairs of pensioners, and advocated that the elderly people should be treated with respect and honor, pointing out that this will make them live happily and longer lives.

Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Elder Chukwuemeka N. Irondi, said that they came to congratulate Mr. Ojeikere Benson on his appointment as the new Head of Service, as well as to introduce the new leadership of the state Nigeria Union of Pensioners to him.

Elder Irondi, who used the opportunity to intimate the HOS of the challenges facing the Union, appealed to him to ensure that their requests get to the Governor while pledging their unalloyed support to the Governor.

In his vote of thanks, on behalf of other members, the Secretary to the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Abia State Council, Elder Uma E. Kalu, thanked the Head of Service, Mr. Ojeikere Benson, for the warm reception and pledged to work with him as well as to support the government in succeeding.

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Mr. Ojeikere, who made the call while receiving in audience some retired Permanent Secretaries in Umuahia, stated that a well-functioning civil service is the backbone of any successful government.

The Head of Service emphasized the crucial role the civil service plays in driving governance and delivering quality services to citizens, adding that with the support of civil servants, retired workers, and stakeholders, the government can achieve its vision of building a world-class civil service.

The Head of Service also said that the government will welcome innovative ideas and initiatives that will ensure a corruption-free service.

Earlier, a former Permanent Secretary, Chief Okechukwu Ihedioha, said they were on the visit to congratulate Mr. Benson Ojeikere on his elevation as Abia State Head of Service and appealed to the government to look into the plight of pensioners, particularly those abruptly retired as a result of government policy.

Contributing, Mrs. Ijeoma Okere emphasized the need for the government to invest in the training and retraining of staff for optimal results.

The highlight of the visit was the offering of prayers for the government and the people.

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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.

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Abia State Government says henceforth, all administrative staff without Professional Certificate in the Service will be stagnated.

The State Head of Service, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Obioma made this known in Umuahia, during a meeting with the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management and the Administrative Officers as well as Executive (General Duties), in the State Service.

Dr. Mrs. Obioma who clearly stated that this followed a Circular No. HCSF/SPSO/ODD/CND/100/S.I/195 from the Head of Service, of the Federation dated March 21, 2024, in which Abia State adopted, further explained that administrative Officers and Executive (General Duties), on grade levels 10-13 going for promotions/conversions from the year 2025 without Professional Certificate will no longer exceed Level 13 in the Civil/Public Service.

The State Head of Service, who was represented by the Director, Bureau of Administration and Career Management, Mr. Kingsley Ibelegbu admonished the workers involved to avail themselves of this opportunity and enhance their growth through this professionalization mechanism.

Speaking also, the National Treasurer, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, Mrs. Ogochukwu Egbuonu who disclosed that the Institute has made inroads in human resource said they were in the State to sensitize them on the essence of equipping themselves professionally.

Mrs. Ogochukwu Egbuonu who commended the efforts of Governor Alex Otti to give Abia workers their pride of place advised them to discharge their duties in line with the tenets of the Abia public Service anthem such as; Integrity, Excellence, Competence and Honesty.

Earlier, the Director, Membership and Marketing Development, Mr. Olutayo Olawale said, the Institute is the Apex regulatory body for the practice of Human Resource Management in Nigeria, and requested the workers to enroll in the Institute and serve the public better.

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Inaugurating the Nine member panel at the banquet Hall, Government House Umuahia, Governor Otti, who captioned his speech “Returning To The Path Of True Excellence”, emphasized the importance of aligning ABSU operations in line with International best practices in University administration.

The Governor tasked members of the panel to conduct a thorough assessment of the institution’s academic programmes to ensure they meet global standard and address current market demands as well as identify areas for improvement and recommend strategies to enhance the University’s overall effectiveness.

He further charged the panel to look into management of funds received by ABSU including State Government’s subventions, Internally Generated Revenue and Intervention funding as to know how the funds have been utilized within the period under review.

Governor Otti, who noted ABSU’s historical significance as a model of excellence in learning, research and administration, expressed regret over the institution’s decline in recent times and pointed out that government will not fold its arms and watch the University deteriorate further.

He emphasized that his administration has the responsibility to return the institution to its rightful place as a centre of excellence in University education in the country and pointed out that his singular mission in government is to reset Abia as number one in the county in all major development indications.

Governor Otti who underscored the importance of revitalizing the educational sector as a key component of his governance agenda, highlighted ongoing initiatives, such as the construction of model primary schools across the state and the allocation of 20% of the budget for the Education Sector development in the 2024 fiscal year.

“The revival of the Educational Sector is critical to our governance agenda and this exercise is another layer in our series of structured programmes to move things in a more desirable direction.

“We shall also be committing 20% of the entire budget outlay between the 2024 fiscal year for the development of the education sector. This sum shall cover extensive investments in the development of new infrastructure, capacity building and purchase of learning assets, including audio-visual tools to engage smoother assimilation of knowledge in classrooms across urban and rural communities.

“The challenge is huge but our determination is stronger”, he said.

Governor Otti while expressing confidence that the panel, with membership drawn from various professional bodies, will live up to expectations, said their recommendations when studied, would be implemented to give ABSU its pride of place as the pinnacle of academic excellence and genuine service to humanity.

Responding on behalf of members of the panel, the Chairman Professor Steve Okorodudu said Governor Alex Otti has through allocating 20% of the 2024 annual budget to the education sector, made Abia the only state to have come close to UNICEF budgetary recommendation for education.

He called on the management and staff of ABSU to cooperate with the panel by volunteering relevant information to enable them achieve their mandate and thanked the Governor for finding them fit for the task.

The event also featured the formal swearing-in of the Head of Service, Mrs Queen Ngozi Obioma.

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Speaking during the event, held at the office of the head of Service complex, Dr Ngozi Obioma disclosed that the essence of the reconstruction of the SERVICOM officers, selected from various MDAs in the state was to ensure timely, transparent and effective service delivery in all the state government offices which according to her, was in line with the reform agenda of the present administration led by His Excellency, Dr Alex Otti.

The HOS who frowned at the level of decadence in the state civil service, expressed confidence that the reconstituted SERVICOM officers will live up to their responsibilities in monitoring the trend of service delivery in various ministries, departments and agencies in the state so as to achieve a virile civil service system.

She therefore, charged them to brace up to tasks ahead with the aim to achieve success while urging them to shun all manner of anti civil service practices such as trauncy, loitering, hawking, lateness to work, absenteeism, indecent dressing, among others.

In his vote of thanks, a director in Ministry of Education, Elder Ukaegbu Ihuoma, on behalf of other members, promised to work assiduously in the sanitization of the civil service system to achieve a virile service system as well return the past glory of the state civil service.

The event featured, interactive session and administration of oaths of office.

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The State Head of Service, Mrs Ngozi Queen Obioma disclosed this while addressing Stafff of Abia Newspapers and Publishing Corporation and Council of Arts and Culture during her familiarization visit of Ministries and parastatals in the State.

Mrs Obioma, said that the State governor, Dr Alex Otti is highly concerned about the welfare of the Civil Servants in midst of spiral economic challenges in the Country.

She also noted with satisfaction that the governor has directed the payment of December 2023 salary before Wednesday next week and vowed commitment to lessen the economic crunches on the work force.

According to the Head of Service, the governor have made approval for technical training programmes to increase the State workforce capacity and the governor want to put measures that would ensure a productive workforce.

The Head of Service predicted bright future for the State Civil service as they now have a man who has the interest of the service in his heart.

She, however, challenged the State workforce to reciprocate the governor’s kind gesture by being committed to their duties and warned that the new civil service have no room for idolent, inefficient but puntual, committed, friction free and polite service rendering workforce.

Mrs Obioma appealed to the state workforce to make her proud in the discharge their duties as to be able to have a strong base in making a demand to the governor.

In his speech. the General Manager, Abia Newspapers and Publishing Corporation, Hon. Jones Nnanna Ike, said the state civil service was the most mismanaged and neglected government’ apparatus in the State and commended the pragmatic approach and measures taken so far by the governor in rebuilding the state civil service.

Hon Ike bemoaned the state of absenteeism in the workforce and urged the Head of Service to ensure that serious measures are put in place to nip the bud.

He enumerated some of his achievements in projecting the state government and her activities and thanked the governor for the on going renovation work of the corporation’s premise and pledged the worker’s unalloyed support to his administration.

By Tasie Ebere

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The State Head of Service, Dr(Mrs) Ngozi Obioma who gave the charge during her familiarization tours to some MDAs in the state, noted that there is need for collective responsibility to take Abia workforce to a greater height.

Dr Ngozi Obioma explained that the essence of the visit is to interact with them as well as get first-hand information on some of the challenges facing them, and emphasized that civil service is known for integrity and dignity but expressed worry that in recent times sarcasm has taken over courteousness in the service.

She pointed out that meritocracy is a virtue which attracts harmony, noting that the ultimate goal of the present administration is to achieve an effective and efficient service.

The HOS stressed the need for every civil servant to promote core values in service as well as obey rules and regulations guiding the service with a view to achieving the new Abia dream of the present administration.

According to her, the Governor, Dr Alex Otti does not joke with the welfare of the Abia workers and urges them to reciprocate the Governor’s kind gestures by making hard work, transparency and accountability their watchword.

In their separate speeches, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mrs Nkechinyere Nwogu, General Manager,Abia Newspapers and Publishing Corporation, Mr Jones Ike, among others, thanked the Governor for the appointment of Dr Ngozi Obioma, describing her as a round peg in a round hole and pledged their maximum support to the present administration.

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The state Head of Service, Dr Ngozi Queen Obioma, gave the advice during her familiarization visits to ministries, departments and agencies in the state, maintained that civil servants are the engine room of any Government to thrive well as well as perform optimally.

Dr Obioma, who described civil servants in the state as dignified personalities, encouraged them to always ensure that they conduct themselves within the armpit of the civil service rules for a sanitized and transformed service system in line with the rebuilding agenda of Governor Alex Otti ‘s administration which is committed in building a new Abia for the good of all.

The HOS disclosed that her administration which is set out to correct any form of anomalies and irregularities in the service, will not tolerate any form of indiscipline, lateness to work, loitering and other unethical behaviours that are detrimental to the service, she therefore urged all to be law abiding, honest and diligent in the discharge of their duties.

In their votes of thanks, the permanent Secretary, ministry of works, Engr Izuchukwu Onwughara, the Gm, Abia State Estates Development Agency, Mr Boniface Kalu, among others commended the Governor, Dr Alex Otti for appointing a seasoned civil servant, Dr Ngozi Obioma as the state Head of Service, describing the appointment as a round peg in a round hole and expressed hope that she will deliver.

They also used the opportunity to congratulate and pledge their unalloyed support to the Hos, while soliciting her assistance in tackling some of the challenges facing their various MDAS.

The ministries, departments and agencies visited are ministry of Land and Housing, ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Information and Digital Economy/Small and Medium Scale Enterprises.

Others are, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Works, Ministry of Transport and Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. The rests are, Umuahia Capital Development Agency, Abia State Estates Development Agency, ASOPADEC, ASEPA and BCA.

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