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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari Friday in Abuja has assured that the Steve Orosanye White Paper Report will be implemented after review.
This is even as he admitted that the government couldn’t increase civil servants salaries due to revenue constraints caused mainly by the activities of unscrupulous citizens through crude oil theft, which is a major contributor to our revenue base.
According to a statement by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, Buhari said this in an audience with the Central Working Committee of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) at the State House.
According to him, the public service remains the engine room of government, and should attract the “best and brightest” that will fuel policies with fresh ideas, while assuring that the Orosanye White Paper Report will be implemented, after review.
“I have directed that the Orosanye White Paper Report be subjected to immediate review to enable Government take the most appropriate decision on its general recommendation.”
He added: “I am aware that the review is about to be completed. While some may complain about the length of time it has taken thus far, the outcome of the various review teams would lead to some fundamental changes in the structure of our Civil Service and as such it must be subjected to rigorous review and scrutiny before presentation and implementation,” he added.
The President assured that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation would submit the harmonized white paper once it has been concluded. Buhari further assured that the administration remains focused on strengthening the service and ensuring it helps the government fulfill its objectives. He noted that the government understands the role of the Civil Service in policy formulation and implementation towards the provision of socio-economic and political benefits to our citizens.
On the request for salary review for civil servants by the committee, Buhari acknowledged the urgent need for a general salary review in the Federal Public Service due to worldwide problems of high inflation amidst general economic disruption.
President Buhari explained that investment in security assets had been at a huge cost, after several decades of negligence. Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, said members of ASCSN had been supportive in actualizing programmes and policies of the administration, describing the leadership as mostly public servants that were vast in civil service procedure, “so when you negotiate with them it is easy and when you make the right point they know.”
In his remarks, the President of ASCSN, Dr Tommy Okon, noted that the administration had been “worker- friendly’’ with implementation of far reaching reforms which include regular payment of salaries and allowances, increase in minimum wage, extension of retirement age for some workers, like teachers, and sustenance of the size of public service in spite of constraints of financing.
