I inherited a highly demoralized Civil Service on assumption of office – Governor Bala
Mohammed kaka, Bauchi
Bauchi state Governor, Bala Mohammed has disclosed that on assumption of office in 2019, he met a highly demoralized and disorganized civil service characterized by non-payment of salaries and pensions, ghost workers syndrome and a host of other challenges.
Bala made this known Friday while distributing cars to 22 newly appointed permanent Secretaries in Bauchi at the government house.
The Governor who said that the vehicles were been distributed free of charge to the beneficiaries, added that the gesture was aimed at revitalizing the state’s workforce.
He explained that his administration embarked on cleansing the nominal and pay-roll of the state’s workforce to make it reclaim its lost glory as well as have a more efficient and result-oriented civil service in the state.
The Governor announced that his administration is making efforts towards ensuring that the backlog of gratuities inherited from previous administrations are settled in a holistic way that will impact positively on the socio-economic well-being of the citizens.
The governor said, to that regard, he has signed into law, a bill to allow for migration from the defined benefit pension scheme to the Contributory pension scheme.
Bala stressed that a strong and motivated civil service is the bedrock for the implementation of the policies and programmes of government for the socio-economic development of the state.
He added that efforts are being made get funds from the organized private sector and the capital market for the settlement of the backlog of gratuities in a holistic manner.
Governor Bala assured the people of Bauchi state and the Civil Service that his Government is not unaware of a large number of graduates that are roaming the streets without job.
He said that his administration is not also unaware of the aspiration of the civil service and other merit-based services to the state for promotion and elongation of service and other things that are plaguing the service.
The governor noted that because of lack of resources, the government has not been able to implement some of its policies and Programmes for the benefit of the masses.
Bala maintained that his administration will free resources to employ other graduates as the state government has not done so for many years.
On his part, the state Head of civil service, Alhaji Yahuza Adamu expressed appreciation to the governor for the gesture, which he said will motivate the civil servants to do more for the state.
He applauded the Governor for employing more than 2,500 pre-service students into the state workforce despite the limited resources available to the state.
Alhaji Yahuza who pointed out that the school of Midwifery that has existed for more than 7 years without employing a single person, said 120 midwives have now been employed by the present administration to serve in various health institutions across the state.