Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has appealed to workers in the state to persevere more on salary and welfare issues salaries and assured that the State Government will put smiles on their faces very soon.

Speaking at the 2017 Osun Public Service Lecture in Osogbo, the state capital, the governor commended the workers for their perseverance, selfless services and sacrifice despite the financial challenges battling the state.

Aregbesola explained that the issue of modulated salary in the state was necessitated by the economy situation and that the state government remained commuted to the welfare of the worker. He noted that only 28 percent of workers in the state receive half salary as against the impression that all Osun workers are paid half salary.

Aregbesola said: “The reality is that it’s impossible to do more than ourselves. We stopped paying full salary in July 2015. You (workers) have done so well that what is left to say is to thank you. There is a contract between you and us. The equivalence of what we have today is that we are in a state of war. When we remove the physical condition, what we have is an economic war situation and I have said this before.

“No matter how much you hate me, ask yourself how have been paying salaries. Some people are trying to use workers against us. Our state requires extraordinary push to overcome its challenges. To our workers, I want to tell you that we need your further understanding, Patience and perseverance.

“Our season of famine will be over by March next year. You have demonstrated understanding. You have sacrificed sufficiently. Bear with us a little more in order to weather the storm together. Keep faith, very soon, the storm will be over.”

The guest speaker, Dr Goke Adegoroye, in his lecture emphasised on productivity and efficiency of workers as basic ingredient in realisation of good governance.

Adegoroye said: “Public service values can only be achieved in a working environment that would engender confidence, job deployment that would also enable the system to get the best civil servants.”

He identified insufficient budgets, absence of improvement in the operations and processes of government and lack of effective coordination at the center of government as factors hindering productivity and efficiency in governance.

He said political will and prudent management of resources demand that government functionaries in elected or appointive position are able to reconcile such cost with ability and readiness to provide fund and ensure adequate service delivery.

Earlier, the retired Secretary to the State Government, Chief Moses Inaolaji Aboaba, called on the governor to ensure improvement of Staff Development Center (SDC), adding that it would go a long way in the training of rank and file of the civil servants.

Aboaba noted that human capital development had been a veritable tool in achieving government goals which must be giving adequate attention.

“Civil service must occupies the rightful place just as the case in the old western region when it was acclaimed as the best civil service in the Federation,” Aboaba said.

He, therefore, praised the governor for the vast achievement recorded in the state since the inception of his administration seven years ago.

•Osun State Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola presenting a plaque to the Guest Speaker of the 2017 Osun Public Service Annual Lecture, Dr. Goke Adegoroye while the Retired Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Chief Inaolaji Aboaba and the Head of Service, Dr. Olowogboyega Oyebade watch on during the lecture at the Local Government Civil Service Commission, State Secretariat, Osogbo on Thursday, 21/12/2017.

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