Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Malam Tukur Ingawa, has commended the management of State House for reviving the culture of rewards and recognition for deserving civil servants.
He gave the commendation in Abuja on Saturday at a send-off organised in honour of Dr Mary Ogbe, Dr Augustine Ogah-Omale, and Matron Igwemoh Cosmos-Omokhogie.
Dr Ogbe was former employee of the State House Clinic and currently Permanent Secretary, FCSC while Dr Ogah-Omale, retired as Chief Medical Officer at the Clinic. Matron Cosmos-Omokhogie retired as Head of Nursing at the clinic.
Ingawa expressed concern that the culture of recognising deserving staff had taken a back seat.
He urged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government to emulate the State House in resuscitating the practice of appreciating best skills and abilities in the Service.
“It is an old tradition in the public and civil services that people that have moved to other endeavours need to be recognised and encouraged.
“They need to be reminded to continue with the good work they have done in their new places of assignment,’’ he said.
The chairman described the current Permanent Secretary, FCSC, as a very reliable officer and team player, adding that since her posting to the Commission, ‘“she has proven her worth as a highly dedicated officer.
“She is a worthy ambassador from the State House and we appreciate the impact she is making in her new place of assignment,’’ he stressed.
The FCSC chairman also used the occasion to commend the Solicitor-General of the Federation for conscientiously working with her colleagues in the Commission to resolve a pressing legal issue in the Service.
The event, hosted by the Permanent Secretary, State House, Tijjani Umar, was attended by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Kachollom Daju.
Also in attendance was the Solicitor-General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Beatrice Jedy-Agba.
Umar congratulated Ogbe on her appointment as Federal Permanent Secretary, noting that as a medical officer in the State House, she was highly professional and distinguished.
He also commended Ogah-Omale and Matron Cosmos-Omokhogie for serving with great commitment, retiring meritoriously from the civil service.
The other permanent secretaries also showered encomiums on their colleague in the FCSC and later presented gifts on behalf of State House to the civil servants honoured at the event.
Responding, Ogbe thanked the staff and management of State House for the honour accorded her and other colleagues.
“We are in the service to serve and the expectation is that we serve.
“The nation is more than ever before looking for people to serve. Let’s serve humanity. Let’s serve one another. Let’s put our interests behind and serve one another,’’ she said.
Ogbe told her colleagues that one lesson learnt from her years in the civil service is: ‘‘God has a way of rewarding each of us.
“Nobody that serves wholeheartedly gets depleted and at fullness of time, God is the one that rewards.’’
