By IHECHINYERE CHIGEMERI-UWOM

Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has inaugurated the Abia State Civil Service Reform Committee with a charge to identify and review the anomalies in the state civil service.

Speaking on Tuesday during the event at the Government House, Umuahia, Otti urged the committee to discharge its duty credibly to enable the government achieve its goal of building a civil service that would be efficient, dedicated and performance-driven.

The governor, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Kenneth Kalu, directed the committee to work closely with the Office of the Head of Service to get relevant information for easy execution of their assignment.

He described the civil service as critical machinery of the governance, adding that the civil service played a vital role in the execution of government’s policies and objectives.

He said that the committee was not set up to witch-hunt anybody, rather it was meant to assist government in creating a better service that would be beneficial to the people of Abia.

Otti said that the terms of Reference given to the committee include; “to review the current civil service structure with a view to improving the efficiency of the civil service, to review the process of appointment, promotion and dismissal and to make appropriate recommendations,

“To review the command promotions done from 2007 to date and to make appropriate recommendations, to recommend how to improve attendance and general discipline in the service.

“To examine how to address the issues concerning pensioners and to undertake every other review with a view to making recommendations on how to improve general efficiency.”

Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Dr. Chibueze Ukaegbu, said that the committee would discharge its duty without fear or favour.

Ukaegbu said that the committee would perform its assignment with diligence as well as produce its findings in phases to enable it to be thorough in performing the task given to it.

Also, Mrs. Joy Maduka, the acting Head of Service, thanked the state government for giving them the opportunity to serve the people of Abia.

Maduka promised to work assiduously to ensure that the objective for setting up the committee would be achieved.

The members of the committee include: Mr Ikechukwu Uwanna, Mr Emmanuel Oriaku, Mr Chinedu Ekeke, Rev’d Fr Christian Anokwuru,Mrs Njum Onyemanam, Mr Mathew Ekwuribe, Dr Sylvester Ibeneme and Chief Ogbonna Izima. (NAN)