The Edo State Head of Service ((HoS), Dr. Anthony Okungbowa, says one of the critical implications of the transformation agenda of Governor Godwin Obaseki is to create a better and productive workforce in the civil and public service.
He made this statement recently at the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy during a one-day workshop on Ethics and Standards of the Civil/Public Service organised for staff of the Edo State Public Building and Maintenance Agency by the Office of the Head of Service.
Dr. Okungbowa stated that there are acceptable and unacceptable manners of doing things in the MDAs as stipulated in the Civil Service Rules and Code of Conduct, which every staff of the Edo State government ought to be aware of and adhere to, as ignorance of the law is no excuse.
In the same vein, the Managing Director of the Edo State Public Building and maintenance Agency, Engr. Austin Osakue, while welcoming participants to the training programme, said he deemed it necessary for staff of the Agency to get acquainted with the civil service rules, which are quite stringent.
He said the behaviour of some of the staff in the Agency showed that they were unaware of the rules or they were deliberately flouting them, saying whatever the case maybe, the staff should realise that there are always consequences for one’s actions. He enjoined them to take the training seriously as the rules would be applied henceforth when anyone runs foul of them.
In his paper presentation on ‘Ethics and Standards of the Civil/Public Service,’ Osakue focused on the culture of promoting integrity, citing the famous quote of Warren Buffett, which focuses on intelligence, energy and integrity as some very important human qualities. He enjoined the staff not to take integrity for granted, which Buffet noted was one of the most important of them all.
Osakue noted that there may be conflict of interest during the course of discharging one’s duties, but encouraged the staff to imbibe both professional and ethical principles such as respect, fairness, honesty, transparency and accountability in the conduct of their duties in the workplace and wherever they find themselves, as the civil service may not be a one-stop shop for them.
Staff of the Agency were taken through paper presentations by other resource persons drawn from the service who took them on “Civil Service Rules and Code of Conduct” by Mrs. B.J Igbinobaro, Permanent Secretary, Business Trade and Cooperative, and “Booby Traps in Civil Service Rules” by Mrs. D.O Enakhimion Esq.,Permanent Secretary, Office of the Secretary to the State Government.
Other papers presented include, Workplace Behaviour and Dress Code” by Mrs. G.I Otamere, Director of Training and Manpower Development, and ‘Effective Communication Skills in the Public Service; “Memo Writing and Minuting” delivered by V.O Okeneni, Director of Establishments and Manpower Development.
