Edo State Government has restated its commitment to train and retain workers in the state for effective service delivery and optimal productivity, in line with ongoing reforms in the civil service by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration.
The State Head of Service, Mr. Anthony Okungbowa, gave the assurance, during a one-day intensive training programme organised by the Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues, in Benin City, the state capital.
According to him, “If you expect civil servants to perform optimally then you must provide the facilities for them to do so. One of the strategies the government has put in place to ensure that the transformation of the civil service is conducted seamlessly is the training and retraining of civil servants.
“This training is very much in the right direction. The Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues has keyed into the initiative of the government to ensure that the civil servants are well equipped to deliver on their responsibilities.”
According to Okungbowa, “Efforts are being made to ensure the recruitment of professionals into the civil service.”
The head of service further assured that their employment would be appropriated into the budget.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Social Development and Gender Issues, Mrs. Maria Edeko, said: “The mandate of the ministry is to provide psycho-social support for individuals, families and communities.
“What we are doing today is to empower the staff by training them properly. Governor Godwin Obaseki will always tell you that if you don’t invest in your staff, you can’t complain that they are not performing.
“We are embarking on a series of training that will enable them to carry out their mandates and serve Edo people better.”
On his part, a participant, Mr. Edward Osigbemhe, described the training as timely, adding, “the present administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki is focused on capacity building, which will improve the service rendered to the public.”
