The Bayelsa State governor, Chief Timipre Sylva yesterday queried the rationale behind the demand by the state workers for the implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage, even as he said that the services they offered were not commensurate with wages paid them by government.
Governor Sylva, whose administration had shown signs of agreement with the implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage and set up a committee to check the modalities to be used, said the Bayelsa civil servants did not report early to duty and that the service rendered must be commensurate with the salaries paid by government.
The governor, who made this known in Yenagoa yesterday during the swearing-in of the first female Head of Service, Mrs. Gloria Izonfo, and six new permanent secretaries, asked the new Head of Service to initiate reforms that would instill discipline in the service.
The six new permanent secretaries sworn in include the Solicitor-General, Mrs. Biobelemoye Onye, Dr. Boumokumo Kpokiri, Dr. Martha Akpana, Mr. Durban Whyte, Mr. Okpoi Ebimotimi and Dr. Henry Simeni. Mrs. Izonfo takes over from the retired Head of Service, Mr. Obeha Oworibo.
Until her appointment, she was the permanent secretary in charge of General Services in the office of the Secretary to the State Government.
Sylva said the civil service in the state was yet to live up to expectations and asked the new appointee to make it functional to help drive the vision of the government
“Head of Service, you are going to be on top of a civil service that, I consider today, not very functional. People don’t perform the job they are employed and paid to do. You must ensure that you make this civil service work and instill discipline,” he said.
The governor noted that the civil service remained the engine room of any government that wanted to succeed and called on all the senior civil servants to use their positions to improve the standards.
The new Head of Service, Mrs. Gloria Izonfo, told newsmen that she would work in line with the directive of the governor to build the capacity of the workers to enhance productivity.