Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has assured of his resolve to improve the value and dignity of the civil service for a better future.

Mr Aiyedatiwa said this during a prayer service held at the state secretariat complex in Akure on Tuesday to commit the public service and the year into the hands of God.

The governor said the civil service would be repositioned for accountability, and Ondo would be opened up for more investment. He also used the occasion to announce that all arrears owed workers in the state service, particularly the outstanding salary in 2017, would be paid in due course.

Mr Aiyedatiwa, who spoke on the 2024 governorship election, urged workers in public service to refrain from partisan politics and politics of bitterness.

The Ondo governor said, “The year 2024 promises to be prosperous in all facets of our lives, particularly in our quest as an administration to improve the value and dignity of the service. We are clear in our vision of a better tomorrow, which the people of Ondo state will be proud of, irrespective of religious and political affiliations.

“I have conviction that the new year will be an eventful year. I can say that, given the judicious implementation of our year 2024 budget. It will bring some succour amidst the economic challenges facing the people. No administration can fly higher than the delivery capacity and ability of its bureaucracy.”

Mr Aiyedatiwa added, “It is also true that working in one accord with the bureaucracy, the political authorities can surmount most of the hurdles in its way to meeting with developmental programmes, policies and projects.

“Therefore, my dear workers, I am pleased to hear your good testimonies of payment of salaries, prompt promotion, payment of inherited salaries in arrears, training and retraining, provision of working tools and enabling environment for the service to thrive, among others.

“I also want to assure you that the fraction of the outstanding salary left will be cleared soon.”

Meanwhile, the national vice-chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Sunday Adeleye, appealed to the federal and state governments to re-strategise the approach to cushion the effect of subsidy in 2024.

Mr Adeleye said there was a need for urgent implementation of the new minimum wage and a commitment to the welfare of workers and Nigerians.

Similarly, the NLC chairman in Ondo, Victor Amoko, urged the state government to pay the remaining arrears of salary owed to civil servants.

(NAN)