Taraba State Governor, Dr. Agbu Kefas, on Monday, disclosed that his administration inherited an empty treasury from his predecessor, former Governor Darius Ishaku.

Governor Kefas disclosed this while speaking at the flagging off ceremony of a 5-day professional development workshop for secretaries in ministry, departments and agencies in Taraba.

According to the governor, his predecessor, Darius Ishaku left nothing in the state treasury for his administration to build governance foundation on.

The governor, who was represented by the state head of civil service, Mrs. Suzie Nathan, expressed that despite the challenging financial situation, the administration met on ground since May 29, 2023, it has made sure that employee salaries are paid on time.

“I inherited an empty treasury from my predecessor Darius Ishaku. Since I took over as governor of Taraba on May 29, 2023, I met no Kobo in the state treasury.

“Despite the challenging financial situation I met on ground, I made sure that employee salaries are paid on time. We prioritize our pensioners pension, and we have also added those who had previously been off the payroll, allowing them to continue receiving their monthly pensions without interruption.

“We will soon conduct a thorough biometric data capture to establish the true size of the workforce, its strengths and limitations, and where to improve through additional employment of our talented young men and women in a transparent manner. In the same vein, we will continue to prioritize employee promotion and welfare,” The governor disclosed.

Governor Kefas also told participants that the workshop was a component of the ongoing strategic roadmap to not only reposition the bureaucracy but also to get the staff, especially the secretaries, on board with the objectives and direction that his administration is moving towards to fully implement its development agenda without hindrance from any quarter.

“My goal is to transform and institutionalize a Civil Service in which everyone would be adaptive and compliant in the areas of computer literacy in a bid to entrench an e-governance platform that will boost efficiency, eliminate bureaucratic red tape, and enhance transparency. This workshop promises to bring our secretaries up to date in line with my vision for the service. I can guarantee you that regular training seminars like this will be extended to other cadres in the Civil Service as well.

“You will recall that in my inauguration speech, the welfare of workers and pensioners was top on my five-point development agenda for Taraba state and the revitalization of the public service formed part of the that focus where I clearly stated that “My administration will restore the integrity of the Civil Service which has been bastardised through favouritism and political considerations.

“We will give the Civil Service a better orientation with a view to restore its professionalism. In doing this, we will be fair and firm, as we act only in pursuance of public interest and Public Services.”

Earlier, Taraba State head of civil service, Mrs. Suzie Nathan, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Manpower Development and Training, Mr. Chiegil Benjamin Joseph, commended Governor Kefas for the initiative, described it as first in the history of the state and assured that, perception of the secretaries in discharging their official schedules after the training will change.

She appealed to participants to demonstrate a strong commitment to actualize government’s initiative to inculcate an efficient, productive, incorruptible culture in the Civil Service, just as she disclosed that the state government was entrenching a culture of paradigm shift in the State Civil Service which is aimed at motivating the productive workforce and to restore work ethics so as to take the service to an enviable height. (Nigerian Tribune)

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