CIVIL SERVANTS ARE PARTNERS IN PROGRESS WITH POLITICAL APPOINTEES - OGUN HOS

  Ogun State Head of Service, Alhaja Selimot Ottun has affirmed that Civil servants in the South West region of the federation are partners in progress with political appointees of their various States, towards the delivery of government’s policies and programmes.

 Alhaja Ottun, made the call at the opening ceremony of 2021 South West Heads of Service Strategic meeting, hosted by Oyo State Government in collaboration with the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission, with the theme; "Deepening Professionalism in the South West Civil Service" at Ibadan, Oyo State.

The Head of Service, emphasised the need for them to work as a body, thus pieces of information, facts and experiences must be shared for better improvement of the States, describing the civil servants, as brilliant and vibrant.

She advocated for bottom-top approach in governance, saying Public Private Partnership (PPP), is important and key to the upward movement of the various States.

"I congratulate the Oyo State Government for putting together this programme, despite all odds of year 2020. As civil servants, we must be on the same page with political appointees, because we are working for the same goal. We are not rival, but partners in progress with them. We are one body and should pursue the purpose well. We should share information, experiences and facts, and not hoard them, as hoarding the vital facts can be detrimental to the growth and development of the States", Alhaja Ottun said.

In their goodwill messages, the Director General, DAWN Commission, Mr. Seye Oyeleye, Head of Service, Ekiti State, Mrs. Adepeju Babafemi, her counterparts from Lagos, Osun and Ondo States, Mr. Akeem Muri Okunola, represented by Dr. Ajose Harrison, Dr. Gboyega Oyebade and Mr. Oluwadare Aragbaye, lauded the initiators, calling for its strengthening for more development and growth in their various States, and the region at large, to serve as a model for the federation.

While appreciating the Oyo State Government for organising the meeting, they canvassed for the diligent preservation of the values and ethics of the Civil /Public Service, for overall development of both human and capital resources.

Earlier in her welcome address, the host, Oyo State Head of Service, Alhaja Ololade Agboola, appreciated God and the government of the State, for making the meeting a reality, saying the programme ought to have been held in March 2020, but was rescheduled, due to COVID-19 pandemic and ENDSARS protest.

She called for competence, creativity and specialisation on the part of the Civil/Public Servants for more excellent service delivery, while adequate infrastructure, working tools, motivation, job security, redefinition of recruitment/selection processes, among other welfare packages be ensured by the governments of the various States.

Paper presentations were delivered on "Deepening Professionalism in South West Civil Service", "Service Level Agreement" and "Health Insurance: Panacea for Poor Healthcare Delivery" by Mr. Biodun Bamgboye, Mr. Jola Oyeneye and Dr. Sola Akande from Lagos, Ogun and Oyo States respectively.