BY LAW IBITOYE
The outgoing Head of Service, Ekiti state Civil Service, Engineer Sunday Olarewaju Komolafe has attributed his achievements to the humane nature of the Executive Governor of Ekiti state, Mr Biodun Oyebanji and the cooperation of relevant stakeholders in the state.
Engineer Komolafe said his multi-pronged approach to enhancing good governance and efficiency in the Public Service enhance workers unfettered career progression, training, better welfare package and merit-based appointment/recruitments into the State Public Service.
The 10th Outgoing substantive Head of Service disclosed these on Wednesday at a Press conference of his retirement in Governor’s Office, Ado Ekiti.
Reeling out his achievements, Engr. Komolafe said he procured thirty-five (35) units of Laptop computers for the CHAMPION chosen by the office of Transformation and Service Delivery (OTSD) across the Ministries, Departments and Agencies for timeous collation of data for policy formulation.
On appointment, the HOS hinted that he ensured transparency in the appointment of seventy-five (75) Technical Teachers/Instructor and Education officers to fill vacancy positions in the Board for Technical and vocational Education, recruitment of 179 Education officer/assistant Education officers in the eight (8) Government Colleges and twenty-seven (27) special Education Officers to fill vacancy positions in three (3) Special Schools all in the Ministry of Education.
Adding that he was able to regularized the appointment of three hundred and
twenty-six (326) eligible temporary junior staff in seventeen
(17) ministerial Departments and Agencies to permanent appointment and re-instatement of fifteen (15) staff Previously laid off at the Ekiti state House of Assembly with the express approval of Mr Governor.
The HOS stressed further that
Appointment of four (4) Deputy Auditors- General for both the State and Local Government Auditor-General office
Facilitated enhanced entry point/harmonization of Engineers, harmonization of Administrative officers in the core civil servant and Administrative officers and planning officers at the State House of Assembly Commission.
According to Engineer Komolafe, other achievements include:
“Redesignation and deployment of the state revenue officers into the mainstream.
Effective collaboration with relevant MDAs on gradual digitization of government business in order to emplace better probity and efficient service delivery.”
Engineer Komolafe added that during his short but impactful tenure, promotion exercise was conducted to abolish age long accumulated promotion arrears.
Speaking on workers welfare, the outgoing HOS, said
“Throughout the period under review, with win-win approach built on good faith, and collective bargaining, we sustained a productive synergy with major critical stakeholders such as Government Agencies, Civil Society Organization, Labour Union and their affiliates and organized private sector Players to achieve greater results and keep the wheel of governance running albeit the attendant challenges.
Provision of free bus service to Civil Servants/teachers to ameliorate the effect of rising cost of transport as a result of fuel subsidy removal.
Implementation of fifteen Thousand naira (N15,000.00) and ten Thousand naira (N10,000.00) wage award for active Public Servants and pensioners respectively to further cushion the excruciating effect of the removal of fuel subsidy.
Facilitated implementation of pay parity to Veterinary Doctors to make their remuneration be at par with their counterparts in the secondary and tertiary Hospitals in the State. This has greatly engendered industrial Peace in the Primary Health sector of the State.
Logistic support for Organized Labour unions to seminars, conferences and workshops both locally and internationally”
On pension matters, the HOS said
The state Government has made the payment of monthly pension a first line charge. The monthly pension paid from August 2023 to May, 2024 is six billion, ninety-eight million, seven hundred and twenty four thousand, one hundred and sixty-six naira forty-two kobo (6,098,724.166.42) only to 8.801 pensioners.
Adding that Prompt payment and release of Government funds for Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) gives workers the assurance of their entitlement after retirement.
Facilitated the payment of retirement benefits to third and fourth batches of retirees who retired up to January 2024 under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) through the Ekiti State Pension Commission.
Regular payment of monthly cooperative deductions, cooperative deduction arrears and check-off dues to appropriate quarters.While appraising his tenure, the outgoing HOS said he’s leaving the service better than he met it, he assured the his successor will complete other reforms he could not complete due to time constraints.
Engineer Komolafe appreciated the governor for the confidence reposed in him, which he guided jealously. Recall that the outgoing HOS stepped in on 21st August, 2023 and as he bows out, his numerous achievements within the short period, no doubt helped in repositioning the Ekiti state Civil service.