Oyo state government, on Thursday, sensitized all its confidential secretaries in the ministries, departments and agencies on the need to be professional, civil and ethical in the conduct of their duties.
At the event organised by the Ministry of Establishment and Training and held at the Simeon Adebo Staff Development Centre, within the premises of the state secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, the participants were tasked not to engage in any act that negate civil service
The Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Establishment and Training – Mr Tunde Adeyanju, in his keynote address at the one-day interactive session on ‘work ethics and attitudinal change’ for 100 confidential secretaries in the state civil/public service, asserted that the attitudes of the secretaries “either positive or negative, do not only affect their own productivity but the productivity of their bosses and attainment of the set goals of their MDAS.”
According to Adeyanju, some of the unethical attitudes vary from refusal to obey posting instruction, lobbying for preferential postings, seeking gratifications before performing statutory assignment, late-coming to work, ineptitude and poor-quality delivery of services among others.
He warned that any confidential secretary found wanting in good ethical conduct would face serious sanctions in accordance with the provision of extant rules in the service.
The permanent secretary posited that confidential secretaries were ‘frontline managers’ in various offices of top bureaucrats in MDAS.
“This is the reason why this ministry cannot just gloss over some unethical attitudes on the part of some confidential secretaries being observed in recent time,” he posited.
Adeyanju further stated that the interactive session would avail the opportunity to jointly diagnose the underlining factors behind the problems identified and proffer appropriate solutions accordingly.
He added that the intent of the forum was to interact with the participants and discuss various issues affecting their productivity in the service, adding that seasoned professionals have been arranged to serve as facilitators of the two segments of the Interactive session.
He further urged the participants to give maximum cooperation to the facilitators, as well pay rapt attention to the minutest detail of their presentation and make the session highly interactive as proposed.
Adeyanju expressed optimism that the participants would leave the venue with a change of attitude that would reflect in their performances in their respective places of work.
Two of the participants, Mrs Kikelomo Ayedun and Mr Femi Adebayo, said the interactive session would avail them the opportunity to know and refresh their memories on the ethics of their professions.
Ayedun expressed appreciation to the state government for organising the forum, which, according to her, will enhance their performances.