24/08/2015

GOV DICKSON SEEKS A MORE APOLITICAL, PRODUCTIVE AND DISCIPLINED CIVIL SERVICE, AS NEW HEAD OF SERVICE ASSUMES OFFICE

Bayelsa State Governor, Hon Seriake Dickson on Friday charged the newly appointed Head of Service of the State, Dr Peter Singabele to further depoliticise and instill more discipline in the state civil service to achieve improved service delivery.Speaking at the swearing in ceremony of the Head of Service and a member of the state Civil Service Commission, Dr Boumakuma Kpokiri in Yenagoa, Governor Dickson stressed the need for public servants to uphold the principles of neutrality and absolute loyalty to the government in power.He deplored a situation where some civil servants involve themselves in partisan politics, noting that, the development is not only against the ethics of the profession, but also negatively impact on efficiency and effectiveness of the public service.Describing the public service as the most important sector in service delivery in a government, Hon. Dickson vowed not to allow political considerations to determine, who becomes head of the state civil service.
He expressed continued commitment to promoting workers welfare within limits of available resources, pointing out that apart from regular payment of salaries and pension entitlements even in the face of the current economic meltdown bedevilling the nation, his administration has, to a very large extent, addressed the issue of office accommodation for workers.

He noted: "For the past one year, no state government can boast of any effective construction work because we are in a state of recession. But, even in spite of all that, we are not owing salaries of members of the public service in this state. We are not also owing their pension entitlements. The only thing that is left for us to handle, is the gratuity that has accumulated for the past ten years, which is not a creation of this government. But we are determined to finding a solution to address it."

While paying glowing tribute to the outgone Head of Service, Dr Josephine Igodo for her efforts in fostering cordial relationship between the government and the state workforce, he promised to organise a state banquet in her honour at an appropriate date to fulfill the tradition already set by the present administration.

Governor Dickson, particularly urged the new Head of Service, Dr Singabele and member of the civil service commission, Dr Kpokiri, who replaces late Sir Patrick Tekenah, to apply their wealth of experience to bear on the performance of their duties, especially in the area of enforcing discipline.

According to him, "You are appointed to lead the public service, which is the most important group as far as service delivery is concerned. It is our expectation that you are going to depoliticise the civil service. "We don't want to play politics with the civil service. When we came onboard, I promised a civil service that will not be politicised. And that is exactly what we are doing. The permanent secretaries that have been appointed know that none of them lobbied.

"There was no political influence or interference whatsoever. It was strictly in accordance with our judgement in terms of merit, hardwork and capacity for improved service delivery. And that is the civil service that we want to leave behind for succeeding generations of this state."

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