Staff welfare paramount to Buhari —Ngige

The  Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has assured federal civil servants  that staff welfare and improved conditions of service will continue to be paramount to the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Since civil service is the engine room of policy formulation and implementation, government is therefore poised to ensure pleasant conditions of service for civil servants,” Ngige said when the Joint In-House Unions of his ministry led by its Chairman, Comrade Tommy Etim Okon met with the minister on the cardinal objectives of the ministry.

Ngige emphasised that capacity building will be accorded priority as the 2016 budget contains provisions for training and re-training programmes which is expected to improve the quality and the well being of the staff, adding that there shall always be good rewards and motivation for dedicated officers.

Speaking further, the minister stressed that welfare packages and other entitlements like repatriation, 28 days in lieu of hotel accommodation, transportation and other benefits of staff including all entitlements of both retired and officers who died in the active service will be settled accordingly.”

The Chairman of the Joint In-house Unions, Comrade Okon applauded the minister for his understanding and said the unions over the years have continually maintained cordial and symbiotic relationship with the management, especially in the areas of Staff welfare.

“In our efforts to appreciate and encourage our members to be more productive, we instituted a reward system to create healthy competition amongst them.”