ANAMBRA ASSEMBLY LAMENTS POOR WORKERS’ ATTITUDE, RECOMMENDS RE-TRAINING & SALARY REVIEW

REPORTER: UCHE NDEKE

The Anambra State House of Assembly Committee on Establishment and Labour Matters has expressed concern about the lackadaisical attitude of some civil servants in the state.

The committee members, who were during a bilateral discussion for the 2022 revised budget estimate with the State Head of Service, Dr. Theodora Igwegbe, condemned the attitude of some of the civil servants to citizens, who come to transact business with their various offices.

The Chairman House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Mr. Obinna Emeneka, complained of glaring indiscipline in the irregular time the workers come and close from work, especially on Fridays.

They called on the Head of Service, to re-tool the service as the engine room of the government.

The Member representing Nnewi North Constituency and Deputy Chairman Finance and Appropriation, Mr. Smart Okafor, who narrated a personal encounter with one of the civil servants during tax payment, recommended regular and retraining for the state workforce.

The Chairman of the Committee on Establishment and Labour Matters, Mr. Johnbosco Akaegbobi, also harped on the need for capacity building and re orientation for the workers.

They also recommended upward review of the renumeration of civil servants in the state to enable them to perform their responsibilities optimally, noting that their current take home could no longer take them home.

The State Head of Service, Dr. Igwegbe, while defending the budget for the office, said provisions had been made for training and capacity building for civil servants, even though the estimate in the revised budget might not be enough to execute the task.

The Head of Service, who expressed the hope that such trainings would introduce the staff to technological innovations, also harped on the need for recruitment of more staff to replace the retiring ones.

The Head of Service hinted that a committee that was recently set up by the Professor Chukwuma Soludo led administration for the review of salaries and renumeration, in line with the national minimum wage, was almost done with its task.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU