The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Kogi State Chapter has urged the state government to emulate the palliative scheme of the Federal Government by approving the N35,000 wage package for the state’s civil servants.
Chairman of the association, Comrade Sule Ahmed Tijani, made the call in Lokoja, on Tuesday, on the occasion of the Annual Seminar/Workshop organised by the Association for Senior Civil Servants in the state.
Tijani said, “The removal of subsidy on fuel had inflicted untold hardship on the average Nigerian worker, especially Kogi civil servants”, noting that it had also affected them in the performance of their duties.
He added that workers in the state civil service were already traumatised as a result of the economic hardship caused by the removal of fuel subsidy, and therefore called on Governor Yahaya Bello to consider the plight of pensioners and other vulnerable citizens of the state by working out appropriate palliative measures for them.
“The organized labour, the TUC, NLC and the JPSNC, were already interfacing with the state government on the hardship being experienced by workers in the performance of their duties due to the negative impact of the economy”, he noted.
Speaking further, Tijani also used the forum to remind civil servants in the state of the need to continue to perform their duties in allegiance and loyalty to the government in power, adding that they must be committed to their duties and also defend the interest of the government.
He encouraged workers to leverage the constitutional provisions that grant civil rights the right to be active in Partisan Politics, noting that it’s the only way to better their lot in the current political atmosphere of the country.
“It is, for this reason, I urge us all to take a bold step by joining the Political Parties of our choice and participate actively and vote for the candidate we can hold accountable for whatever they have in their manifestos.
“However, irrespective of our party affiliation, as civil servants, we must not forget that in the performance of our duties, our allegiance and loyalty to the government and party in power must not be doubted. We must be committed to our duties and also defend the interest of the government in our line of duties”, the chairman stated.
In her remarks, the State Head of Civil Service, Mrs. Hannah Odio described the civil servants as the brain behind the implementation of government policies and programs for rapid and sustainable government which are carried out through their core principles, including stewardship, trust, engagement and professionalism.
She said it was therefore imperative that civil servants abstain from partisan politics, noting that it was against the civil service guidelines which prohibit them from participation.
Odio reiterated that civil servants must restrict themselves to professionalism which defines the policy framework for good governance.
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