Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has once again celebrated workers in the state by showering cash and other gift items on them at the grand finale of this year’s Civil Service Week.

Speaking at a luncheon and presentation of gifts to outstanding workers at the State Secretariat on Friday, Fayemi reiterated his commitment towards building a transformative and efficient civil service in Ekiti State.

Represented by the Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, Fayemi, who expressed confidence in the competence and professionalism of civil servants in the State, assured that his administration would continue to motivate them to ensure quality service delivery.

A statement by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Deputy Governor, Odunayo Ogunmola, said the workers, happy with the gesture, pledged to work harder to assist the Fayemi administration achieve its mandate of making the state better.

Fayemi promised that before the end of the year outstanding promotions would have been cleared, assuring that affected officers would receive their letters of promotion to enjoy new status at their places of work.

The overall Best Worker of the Year in the senior category, Mr Oluwadare Jolumo, of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, went home with a cheque of N500,000 while the runners-up, Mr Rotimi Omole of Agric Development Project (ADP) and Mr Samuel Falana of the Civil Service Commission smiled home with cheques of N250,000 each.

Mr Olatunde Oke of the Agency for Adult and Non-Formal Education, who emerged winner of overall Best Worker in the junior category, got a cheque of N300,000 while Mrs Alice Olatilu of Fiscal Responsibility Commission and Mrs Margaret Lawal of Ministry of Agriculture were rewarded with cheques of N200,000 and N100,000 for coming second and third, respectively.

A messenger in the Office of Establishment and Service Matters, Mr Joseph Owoeye, was rewarded with a deep freezer as a special award from the Head of Service for his diligence and sustained commitment to work.

Fayemi explained that his administration has demonstrated consistent commitment to the welfare of workers through regular and prompt payment of salaries and the commencement of the payment of outstanding salaries inherited from past administration with the hope to totally defray the remaining arrears soon.

The state chief executive also told the gathering that his administration has extended its welfare policy to retired workers through concurrent payment of pension with salary and increment of monthly allocation for payment of pension and gratuity from N10 million to N100 million.

He said: “As a responsible and responsive government, we consider and treat the welfare of workers as paramount, despite the unfavourable financial situation.

“I am well aware that the issue of the outstanding leave bonuses requires attention.

“Government is not resting on its oars and I can assure you that effort is being made to defray the outstanding and to restore regular and timely payment as done in the area of salary.”

The Governor disclosed that his administration has commenced the implementation of minimum wage for officers on Grade level 6 and below, assuring of his commitment to extend same to officers on Grade Level 7 soon.

On Human Capital Development, Fayemi explained that the carving of the Office of Capacity Development and Reforms from the Office of Establishments and Training was to facilitate the attendance of different categories of officers in training workshop and to provide financial support for further study in tertiary institutions.

The Governor equally revealed that the implementation of approval given for the recruitment of officers in the education sector and in the core civil service has commenced.

Fayemi charged the Civil Servants to sustain their support for the transformation of government policies and programmes with a view to moving the State forward.

Earlier in his address, the Head of Service, Mr Ayodeji Ajayi, said the Civil Service Week was not all about merry making but a period to reflect on the past performance and experience of the sector and to objectively take decisions that would enhance productivity that would move the State forward.

Mr Ajayi asserted that the Civil Servants in the State has demonstrated its commitment to providing technical advice that would transform government policies to concrete accomplishments.

The event was well attended by the Speaker House of Assembly, Mr Funminiyi Afuye, who was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Hakeem Jamiu, Commissioners in the Civil Service Commission, Members of the State Executive Councils, and other top government functionaries. (Saturday Sun)

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