By Okojie Francisca
The Edo State Head of Service, Dr. Anthony Okungbowa esq. has charged staff of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to build synergy and unity for productivity at the workplace.
Dr. Okungbowa gave the charge yesterday, during his official visit to the Agriculture Hub in Benin City.
While addressing the ministry’s staff, he urged them to freely share information and express their thoughts towards enhancing proficiency within the service and Agriculture Hub.
According to him, his primary objective is to create a platform where employees can conveniently, freely share ideas, and give feedback which will result in productivity in service.
He reiterated that the State Government remains committed to ensuring that the public and civil servants’ capacity-building development is top-notch. Stating that there would be training and re- training of staff in the service.
He further conveyed the state governor’s intentions for the state, saying that his desire is to create an enabling environment where the civil servants can thrive in all aspects.
“As the engine of the State Government, we must do everything to foster the objective of the Governor, because this new administration has a lot of policies and programs”, he said.
The HOS encouraged the ministry’s staff to continue to support the governor to enable him to succeed in his administration.
He commended the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Peter Osagie for his outstanding leadership and transformative initiative in the e-governance initiative of the Edo State Government. He appreciated his efforts in ensuring orderliness and increased efficiency and effectiveness in the ministry.
The HoS further assured the Ministry’s staff that the challenges highlighted would be resolved accordingly by the State Government.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Peter Osagie thanked the HOS for his visit to Agriculture Hub, stating that his visit is a morale booster for the entire staff of Agriculture Hub.
He disclosed that Agriculture Hub comprises of so many arms and clusters, such as Agricultural Development Program (ADP), FADAMA N-CARE, EDO Rural Agriculture and Market Access Project (EDO RAAMP), Edo Livestock Productivity and resilience support project (L-pres), Livelihood Improvement, Family Enterprises Niger Delta (LIFE-ND).
Dr. Osagie said all the arms in the agriculture hub have been working in synergy to ensure the mandate of the ministry is actualized. “These are the offshoots of the Ministry”, he added.
He explained that ADP has been well known as a program, but ADP staff are still part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. He said the ministry and ADP needs more staff strength to enable them actualize the vision of the Ministry and also translate the ministry’s Budget in programs and interventions that Edo people will see and know that the State is working.
At the interactive section, the PS and staff highlighted their Official Challenges to the HOS for possible solutions.
The high point of the visit was the presentation of an award of excellence to the HOS.
