Chairman, Delta State Local Government Service Commission, Hon Joseph Otihue has restated the importance of adherence to the policy directives of the Commission by Council Workers in the State.
He said the success of Governance at the grassroots is highly dependent on the willingness of Council Workers within the Unified Local Government System in the State to adhere strictly to policy directives as contained in the extant rules and regulations guiding the Commission.
The Commission Chairman spoke recently in Issele-Uku while addressing workers of the Aniocha North Local Government Council in continuation of the Commission’s scheduled visits to Local Government Councils in the State.
Otihue frowned at the habitual disregard of the extent rules of the commission by some members of staff and said the commission with a view to meeting its mandate can no longer tolerate such acts of indiscipline in the Service.
“As you are well aware, the core mandate of the commission is encapsulated in the promotion, training, retraining and discipline of staff of the Service.
“The rules are sacrosanct. However, it has been observed that some members of staff are in the habit of disregarding the extant rules and regulations that guide the service,” he said
While drawing the attention of the workers and officials to salient cases that needed to be considered for effective governance at the local Government level, Hon Otihue noted the incessant forwarding of staff correspondence that are not in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Service to the Commission for consideration and said such correspondence with those that had previously been dismissed for not confirming to the extant rules would no longer be allowed to be forwarded to the commission for consideration and approval.
“Let me reiterate here that all applications, appeals, protests or petitions by staff of the service to the Commission must be submitted for analysis by the HPM who must ensure that they are in accordance with the extant rules before forwarding them to the Commission otherwise they will not be entertained,” he warned, even as he admonished that severe sanctions await defaulting HPMs in that regard.
Deacon Otihue also noted the delay in the notification of death of Staff of the Service and said it gives room to fraud and payment of dead staff salaries into private accounts, saying that it amounts to corruption and misconduct.
Otihue also noted the Commission’s disapproval of the delay in submission of Annual Performance Evaluation Reports (APERs) and said the commission would no longer tolerate such delays any more.
He therefore directed that all officers due for promotion in the January and July promotion series should submit their three years duly processed APERs at once to the relevant schedule officers of the Commission in the Month of November before the January promotion interview and May before the July promotion Interview.
While affirming the commission’s decision in restricting the use of HND Certificates for entry and progression in officers cadres, the Commission Boss advised HND certificate holders who were erroneously converted to officers cadres to acquire the relevant Post Graduate Diploma or First Degree Certificate for them to be qualified for promotion or they will remain stagnated.
He also dwelled on the need for efficient operation of Local Government Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Societies and directed the various HPMs and the TLGs in the various Councils to work in synergy with the Executive Members of the Cooperative Societies with a view to monitoring compliance with the extant rules while warning top Managers of the Councils of serious sanctions that await them on failure to adhere to the commission’s directives in that regard.
Hon. Otihue while encouraging the Management of the Councils to take the issue of Staff welfare seriously, directed that staff claims and allowances should be paid, no matter how small or little, even as he warned that the Local Government Service Commission would no longer tolerate absenteeism and lateness to work by members of Staff of the Councils.
“Absenteeism has continued to tarnish the image of Local Governments and the commission. It has blown out of proportion, gone out of hand. It is unethical and sad that many staff comes to work at will and leave the office at will,” he lamented and vowed that it would no longer be business as usual.
He reminded the erring staff that the office opens at 8. 00 am and closes at 4. 00 pm Mondays to Friday and said staff should not only be punctual to Duty, but should remain at their duty posts until official closing time, even as he warned that HPMs and HODs would be held responsible for failure of staff to be at their duty posts regularly.
The Commission Chairman, however commended the Aniocha North Local Government Council NULGE Branch Chairman, Comrade Collins Ogwugwua for his intellectual capacity, commitment and dedication to the cause of the body of workers in the Local Government Council.
He particularly commended him for his value for leadership and his avid commitment to the welfare needs of the workers of the Council.
He said the body of Workers in the Council was fortunate to have such a charismatic person as their Union Chairman and enjoined them to continue to support him towards continuing with his laudable objectives for the body of workers in the Council.
Otihue, specifically expressed great appreciation to the NULGE Chairman for his wisdom in spearheading the building of a magnificent NULGE EVENT CENTRE in the Council within the first tenure of his administration, affirming the centre to be of immense benefit not only to the Union, but to the entire people of Aniocha North Local Government area.
Earlier in his welcome Address, the Head of Personal Management of the Council, Mr. Bertrand Ojeah congratulated the Chairman and members of the Commission on their appointment, swearing-in and subsequent assumption of office.
“Indeed, it gladdens our hearts that you have shortly thereafter found it necessary to undertake a tour of the Local Government Councils with a view to interacting directly with members of the Service,” the HPM said.
Mr. Bertrand, particularly commended the reappointment of Hon. Joseph Otihue as the Commission Chairman, describing it as most gratifying and historic and said his reappointment by the State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborivwore was basically for his uncommon courage and administrative ingenuity with which he was able to reposition the commission for greater efficiency in his first tenure.
Mr. Bertrand noted the existing cordial working relationship between the management of the Council and the Executive Chairman as well as all members of the Political class in the Local Government, saying that they are all bound by the common chord of one mandate which he noted to be service to the people.
He commended the efforts of the commission in the area of staff promotion and discipline, particularly in the immediate past four years and advocated for more interactive workshops and retreats for the operators of the system as done at the Federal and State Service level.
While pledging their unalloyed loyalty to the Chairman and the Local Government Service Commission in its onerous task of taking the Service to loftier heights, Mr Ojeah drew the attention of the commission to acute shortage of Manpower specifically in the Junior Staff Cadres in the Council and appealed to the Commission to secure approval from the State Government for employment in the said Cadres.
Also in his remarks, the NULGE Branch Chairman in the Council, Comrade Collins Ogwugwua commended the reappointment of Hon. Joseph Otihue as the Commission Chairman, affirming it to be indeed record breaking in the history of the Commission.
Ogwugwua noted that NULGE in Aniocha North Local Government Council has also been breaking records and making the commission proud in all their actions.
He intimated the Chairman and members of the Commission how the present Executive Members of the Union under his Leadership sacrificed their imprest for the building of a befitting NULGE Event Centre and office for the Union, even as he commended the Executive Chairman of the Council, Hon. Kevin Okwechime and the Manager of the Council for their unrelenting support to the building of the edifice which was the venue used by the Council for the hosting of the Chairman and members of the Commission at the visit.
He revealed that the Union has done tremendously well in the issue of Staff welfare and said there is no staff that is being stagnated based on the fact that the Junior Staff Management Committee (JSMC) of the Council has been held as and when due.
On the issue of restrictions of HND Certificate holders from advancing, Comrade Ogwugwua pleaded with the Commission to consider their stand with a view to stopping further discrimination between Bsc holders and HND Certificate holders.
Earlier during the visit, the Commission Chairman and members of the Commission paid a courtesy call on the Executive Chairman of the Local Government, Hon. Kevin Okwechime in his office.
