TEACH US PRUDENT MANAGEMENT OF MDAs —BAYELSA BEGS ENUGU
REPORTER: EMEFIENA OKONKWO
A high powered Bayelsa State Governent’s delegation has arrived in Enugu State with the aim of learning the state’s financial model of running its ministries, departments and agencies.
The Bayelsa delegation, which was led by the State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Biriyai Dambo had on arrival paid a courtesy visit to the Enugu state Head of Service, Mr Ken Chukwuegbo in Enugu.
Mr. Biriyai Dambo explained that they were in Enugu State to deleberate with the state’s Head of Service and other critical Ministries, Departments and Agencies on the innovations and key strategies that they imbibed that ensured seamless running and reduced over head cost in Enugu State Civil Service.
He noted that Enugu state Civil Service with its centralized bio-metric and payment point as well as its organized pension scheme ensured prudent management of state fund, hence their visit to learn the state’s success story.
Another member of the delegation and Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Bayelsa State Chapter, Comrade Ndiomu John-Bipre, called for sustained high level exchanges between the two states.
Recieving the delegation, Enugu State Head of Service, Mr. Ken Chukwuegbo, attributed the success story of the State’s Civil Service to the Governor of the State, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who he said, had introduced far reaching reforms in the state’s civil service that ensured transparency, accountability, innovation, order and well motivated workers.
Mr. Chukwuegbo enumerated centralized payroll system, to eradicate ghost worker syndrome and financial leakages; as well verification scheme for pensioners as part of such reforms in the state.
He also noted that the state government embraced the new national minimum wage while civil servants in the state received their monthly salaries before the end of month even during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the attendant lockdown.
Mr. Chukwuego wished the delegates a happy and memorable visit.
Collaborating the submissions of the Head of Service, leaders of the organized labour in Enugu State, including Comrade Virginus Nwobodo of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and his counterpart from from Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Ben Asogwa, noted that part of the motivation of workers in the state was the transfer of housing units to some civil servants in the state through transparent open balloting by the state Governor to mark his first one hundred days in office with prompt payments of workers’ salaries and allowances as and when due.
They equaly called for sustenace of such vists and interactions between the two states.
EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU
