The Abia State Head of Service, Mr. Benson Ojeikere has identified corruption as a cankerworm that undermines the integrity of public institutions and hinders delivery of quality services to the people.
Speaking In his inaugural meeting with Permanent Secretaries, in his office, Mr. Ojeikere condemned corruption in all ramifications, stating that it has no place in the civil service and so must be eliminated.
Mr. Ojeikere who called on Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Agencies to ensure accountability and transparency in government operations also enjoined them to closely monitor the activities of their staff as they would be held responsible for their actions.
He observed with regrets that the actions of some civil/public servants have tarnished the reputation of the service and charged workers to be committed in restoring the dignity of the service.
Mr. Ojeikere requested Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), to embark on in-house trainings for their staff aimed at educating them on public service rules and financial regulations, assuring the readiness of the government to train and retrain the workforce for excellent performance.
In her contribution, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Obi Chianakwalam who appealed that staff and Pensioners with verification challenges be resolved to facilitate their salaries and pensions payment, assured their preparedness to make the service more responsive, efficient and effective in serving the needs of the citizens.
