By Ayodele Oni
As part of measures to keep them abreast of Government policies and programmes, Commissioners, other Political office holders and top Government officials in Ondo State, have attended a three-day retreat programme.
The retreat exposed participants to the concepts of the administration with Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government mandated to institutionalize the concept of “One administration.”
Fourteen Commissioners and Special Advisers were sworn-in by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu last December, while his son, Babajide was appointed as Director General in charge of Due Process.
They were also directed to implement the mandates in line with the REDEEMED Agenda of the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led administration.
Other resolutions reached at the end of the Retreat, which was also attended by Accounting Officers in Ondo state public service, held at Owo was full implementation of Treasury Single Account, (TSA) in the state.
While declaring open the programme, the State Governor Akeredolu, explained that the retreat was necessary to ensure that all MDAs key into the REDEEMED Agenda of the Administration; entrench the culture of One administration; improve their revenue generation and upscale their productivity.
Participants agreed among other things, that Ondo State must fully automate revenue collection, expand the revenue sources and block revenue leakages; while MDAs must prioritize and align capital projects with realistic budgetary provisions to ensure timely completion of key developmental projects.
In the communique signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Princess Oladunni Odu and the Head of Service, Pastor John Adeyemo, all MDAs are to adhere strictly to the provisions of Ondo State’s Public Procurement Law (2017), and also engage in peer review with sister agencies both within and outside the State for better performance.
“Multilateral and bilateral funding opportunities are to be fully explored for the benefit of the State, even as synergy between political heads and technocrats are to be fostered and adherence to provisions of the regulatory books observed in all official actions.
“State’s Bureau of Statistics should be repositioned for data-driven development of all sectors;
“Public servants should undergo regular capacity building to enable them cascade knowledge gained to their subordinates while ICT competence be made a key qualification for new entrants into the State Public Service;
“Government to sustain its current security effort, particularly the operation of the Ondo State Security Network (Amotekun Corps), for continued protection of lives and properties in the State;
“Government to continue to press for the actualization of the exploration of its vast bitumen reserve, other mineral resources and the development of Port Ondo.
“Parts of the degraded forest reserves in the State are to be utilized for cash crops for economic benefits, just as Gender mainstreaming and related matters to be continually prioritized by Government.
“Government to institutionalise citizenship engagement and sustain good labour/association relations.”
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