The Ondo State Government has flagged off the year 2024 promotion exercise for civil servants in the state.
Speaking at the official flag-off, the Head of Service(HoS), Mr Bayo Philip, said no fewer that 4,200 workers who are due for promotion would be promoted as governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had approved the promotion of all deserving officers with attendant financial benefits.
Philip, who appreciated the government for the gesture, urged the beneficiaries to reciprocate by putting in their best in service delivery, saying to whom much is giving, much is expected.
While stressing that his leadership will be aversed to a situation where officers retiring early in any particular year they are due for promotion would be made to go home without their last promotion, the Head of Service said the promotion process for year 2025 would commence and be concluded before the end of the year.
He noted that such step would enable them to begin to enjoy their promotion from the beginning of the year and subsequent years.
Philip, who noted that 2024 is an election year in the state, charged the civil servants to insulate themselves from partisan politics and steer clear of any form of election campaigns under any guise.
He rather enjoined them to sustain the integrity of the service using the newly distilled approach “don’t deliver short, don’t deliver late” as their guiding principle.
“I must appreciate Mr Governor, Hon Lucky Aiyedatiwa, who said, Head of Service, don’t pursue me with any file, everyone who is due for promotion, go ahead and promote them.
“The position of our governor, Aiyedatiwa is that a labourer is worthy of his wage even before his sweat will dry and an officer is worthy of his promotion as and when due.
“In Ondo State, no deserving officer has been left without being promoted and this has to do with the goodwill of the government of Ondo State.
“Therefore, I want to admonish you, in your respective desk, you must not deliver short and you must not deliver late. Whatever you are to do must not be short of quality and must not be done late. Do your job as a patriotic civil servant that you are.
“I must also tell you. This is an election year. Do your job. You are civil servants and have nothing to do with partisan politics. Engage your mind more than you engage your mouth,” Philip stated.
Earlier in her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Establishment and Training, Mrs Dare-Atuse Olufunke, enjoined participants not to take the promotion for granted but rather justify it by improved efficiency in their new positions.
She lauded the government for prompt approval of the process and without stringent conditions and unnecessary encumbrances.
