The Honourable Commissioner for Ministry of Establishments and Training, Alhaji Sijui Lawal, has assured that the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde will not relent in its effort towards ensuring continuous capacity development, provision of conducive work environment and good conditions of service for its workforce in the state.
Lawal gave the assurance on Monday, at the opening ceremony of a 2-day sensitization programme on the preparation of error-proof annual establishments estimates for schedule officers in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), held at Simeon Adebo Staff Development Centre, Secretariat, Ibadan.
He said since the inauguration of the administration on May 29, 2019, governor Makinde has demonstrated a genuine passion for the welfare of workers in the State through prompt payment of workers salary on or before the 25th of every month, and has successfully paid a 13th-month salary to all workers in the State in two (2) consecutive years without lobbying or prompting from any quarter.
While saying that the governor is restoring the pace-setting status of the Oyo State Public Service in the state, Lawal commended the astuteness, prudent financial management, transparency and accountability which His Excellency has brought to the front burner of governance in the State in less than two years.
Speaking further on the sensitization summit tagged ‘Preparation of Error-Proof Annual Establishments Estimates for Schedule Officers’, he admitted that the capacity building programme was aimed at empowering all Directors of Administration and Supplies/Personnel and other Schedule Officers handling the preparation of annual establishment estimates with cutting-edge principles, methods and techniques needed.
Lawal equally added that the summit will afford participants to understand the publication of flawless Establishment Estimates in the 2021 Approved Budget Estimates of the State and bridge the gap of ineptness in the preparation of Annual Establishments Estimates.
He said: “It is therefore hoped that, at the end of the 2-day summit, participants would have acquired the required hands-on skills for the preparation and submission of error-proof establishments estimates. It is also hoped that, hence participants will pay serious attention to the preparation of Establishments Estimates just as it is done for the annual estimates of the State.
“By so doing, various establishment problems such as career stagnation, lopsidedness in manpower distribution and uncontrolled personnel attrition rate, which are a resultant effect of shoddily prepared Establishments Estimates would be overcome. This in turn will translate to job satisfaction and improved productivity of workers in the State.”
Earlier in his remark, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Establishments and Training, Mr. ‘Tunde Adeyanju, explained that the programme was practically designed to help schedule officers overcome the problems associated with shoddy preparation of annual establishments estimates, which the Ministry has observed since its resuscitation in August, 2019.
“We believe that the only way to solve these problems is to acquaint the stakeholders with relevant information and equip them with the required skills that would assist them during the preparation of the Annual Establishments Estimates,” Adeyanju stated.
He, therefore, urged critical participants to strongly believe that the solution towards ensuring the preparation of error-proof establishments estimates should be a joint responsibility of everyone.