GOVERNOR Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has said without public servants government policies and programmes would fail woefully, stressing that if government programmes must succeed the public servants remains the vehicle to bring it to fruition.
Dickson made the commendation while speaking at a dinner held in honour of participants to the 2017 Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council meeting at the Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall, Yenagoa.
Contained in a statement by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Francis Ottah Agbo, Dickson pointed out that, no political leader would be able to achieve anything meaningful without the workforce, stressing that public servants are the critical link between policy formulation and practical achievement.
“You are one of the most important assets not just of our state but in all the local government councils and states throughout the Federation”
“No political leader is able to achieve any meaningful thing without the public servants. As a matter of fact, you are the most important people if we are talking about service delivery”
He noted that, after political leaders have formulated ideas and issued directives, it is the public workers, whom he described as the true custodians of public power and authority that, actually translate the government policies and programmes to tangible achievements.
According to Hon Dickson, any society, state or nation that is serious about capacity building, service delivery and probity in public service must start with public servants, emphasizing that his administration takes the issue of workers welfare and productivity seriously
“There are nations in the world, including our colonial masters, the British, if you look at the real strength of those nations, you will discover that their real strength lies in the public service”
While thanking the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita and the conveners of the meeting for choosing Yenagoa as the venue, he reiterated his earlier offer of hosting the annual event in Bayelsa and urged participants to explore the state and be its ambassadors.
In her remarks, the Chairman of the Joint National Public Service Negotiation Council and Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office in the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Dame Didi Walson-Jack, noted with delight the warm hospitality accorded members of the council by the Government and People of Bayelsa State.
Dame Walson- Jack, who was a Chief of Staff, Government House, Yenagoa, also used the opportunity to appreciate the developmental strides of the Governor, especially in the area of workers welfare and training, assured the Governor that, the council will continue to collaborate with the government in ensuring industrial harmony and improved service delivery in the public service of the state.
In a welcome address, Deputy Chief of Staff, Government House, Mrs Ebizi Ndiomu-Brown said the two-day meeting of the Joint National Public Service Negotiation Council with the theme, “Emerging Employer/Employee Relations Management Strategies for Addressing
Potential Conflicts in the Public Sector ” was apt in view of the current reforms by the state government in the public sector. She reiterated the state government’s commitment to the welfare of its workforce and expressed the hope that, the delegates will leave the state with fond memories of its hospitality at the end of the programme.
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