Public and civil servants in Kogi State are to henceforth wear their identity cards on them as part of their official dress code.
Governor Idris Wada, while promising to lead by example, handed down the instruction during the flag-off of distribution of new identity cards to civil servants in the state at the State Secretariat Complex, Lokoja.
Capt. Wada who commended the state Head of Service and his team for initiating a home – grown programme for staff data-gathering, noted that the exercise would afford the state government the opportunity to keep track of its staff strength atall time, hence, making the incessant screening exercises unnecessary.
In view of the security challenges and terrorism activities bedeviling the nation, he equally expressed optimism that the new identity card project would assist the government inenhancing security and fighting crime. He also called on thepeople of the state to join hands with his administration to stem the menace of terrorism.
As the first governor of the state to ever visit and address workers at the state secretariat complex, he said the historic visit had notserved as an eye-opener, but also brought to the fore, the present working condition of civil servants at the statesecretariat, that government would soon intervene to address the situation.
In a similar manner, the governor promised to provide laptopsthat would be jointly paid for by the state and workers toenhance productivity as well as keep civil servant abreast withthe present internet age.
Earlier, the Head of State Civil Service, Dr. Moses Atakpa disclosed that his office had to engage the services of an indigenous expert to introduce a data-gathering programme tocurb the ghost workers’ syndrome as well as provide a data base to enable the government plan adequately.
Dr. Atakpa used the forum to call on civil servants to disregard rumours making the rounds that the Sally Tibot team was returning for another staff audit.
He stressed the need for civil servants to always carry their identity cards with pride as part of their dress code as a way of enhancing the image of the state.
Culled from Kogi Graphic Newspaper
