The Governor of a state in Nigeria recently addressed the issue of employment and salaries of civil servants during a monthly interactive session with the media. During this meeting in Umuahia, he stressed that the question of employment would arise once the government had addressed the existing problems within the civil service.
He mentioned that there was still a recruitment embargo in place, and expressed concerns about the high number of people working in the civil service, even after careful verification.
The Governor lamented the huge wage bill, amounting to about four billion naira for local government and the state every month. However, he assured that efforts were being made to improve and optimize the remuneration of civil servants.
He pointed out that some employees might not be contributing optimally and that this needed to be addressed. Thus, emphasis is placed on providing adequate training to staff to improve their skills and job performance.
The Governor also addressed the issue of exits of non-performing staff, recognizing the challenges associated with the strict rules of the civil service. He stressed the need to put in place mechanisms to optimize the workforce and encourage better productivity within the public service.
In conclusion, the Governor’s speech highlights the challenges facing the civil service in Nigeria, while emphasizing the importance of training and motivating staff to ensure efficient and effective public services.