Senator Ademola Adeleke, Governor of Osun State, has ordered an immediate assessment of the ongoing personnel audit across the state public service, while reiterating his administration’s commitment to improving and protecting workers’ welfare.
Governor Adeleke urged the joint committee working on the exercise to resolve all sticky areas and come up with acceptable methods for hitch-free exercise during a joint meeting of labour leaders and the auditing firm on Thursday evening.
The governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed made this available in a statement to journalists in Osogbo the Osun State Capital.
Recall that the staff audit exercise ordered by the Governor Adeleke was stopped abruptly as state civil servants refused to be audited and staged a walked out on the auditors.
The governor who listened to the representatives of labour and other stakeholders, expressed displeasure at the inconvenience the exercise has caused public servants and instructed the Head of Service to ensure adjustment of the procedures to ensure the well being and comfort of the workforce.
“I have read a lot of comments and complaints from the public service. I have also listened to you all at this meeting. We must adjust the procedures to have a mutually acceptable exercise. We should all remember the purpose of this audit exercise which is to block leakages to expand staff welfare.
“To that extent, the joint committee should meet urgently to decide on two items. First, a new acceptable timetable should be created that will take into account the diversity and peculiarities of each government agency or ministry.
“Secondly, the committee should also brainstorm on decentralisation of the exercise on zonal basis to reduce the burden and logistics of movements to the capital city”, the Governor directed.
As both labour and establishment leaders accepted the rationale behind the auditing exercise, Governor Adeleke urged all stakeholders to join hands to ensure a hitch free completion of the programme, noting that his government partnership and brotherhood with the labour movement preclude any anti-labour move from his table.
“Let all stakeholders go back to the drawing board and make necessary adjustments. This is a government in love with labour, workers, artisans, women, youth and others.
“We will never act against the best interest of the public servants, Adeleke stressed.