Senior staff of the Unified Local Government Service of the third tier have been assured of their promotion to the next level.
This assurance was given by the Chairman of the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission, Chief Azubuike Nmerukini JP, at Bori, Headquarters of Khana Local Government Area, while addressing staff of the council as part of the commission’s tour of local government councils in the state.
Chief Nmerukini therefore directed all the local governments in the state to forward the list of those due promotions to the commission for consideration.
He however told the staff that the promotion exercise would not be business as usual as only those who merit promotion would be promoted.
The chairman further told the staff that as there is promotion, there is also demotion and added that staff that are not measuring up to expectation would not be promoted.
Chief Nmerukini used the occasion to advise the staff to always go to work to justify the salary they earned.
Speaking, the commissioner in charge of the council in the commission, Barrister Cyprian Chukwu, challenged the staff to change their attitude to work in their own interest.
Barrister Chukwu who pointed out that all false affidavits submitted to the commission by staff would be investigated and those found guilty would be prosecuted in law courts said that there would be no hiding place for criminal activities in the system.
Also speaking, a member of the commission and a native of the Khana Local Government area, Mr. Smith Sunny Nwiyor, commended the staff for their impressive turnout and stressed the need to work as a team to promote even development in the area.
The Chairman of the council, Chief Greg Nwidam in his speech, described members of the commission as people of like minds, vast with experiences in Local Government affairs and expressed his willingness to cooperate with the commission to achieve the needed change in the system.
Chief Nwidam said that the council was ready to assist staff to further their education, adding that the council had not carried out any staff recruitment and requested the commission to grant approval to recruit junior staff to replace those on retirement.
Earlier, the Head of Local Government Administration of the council, Rev. Canon J. C. Chimezie, said the council had a staff strength of 617 and staff salaries and allowances are paid regularly, the 70 percent consolidated implemented, and the outstanding one month was being worked out to be cleared.
Rev. Canon Chimezie said that the council had commenced the training of staff to be computer literate and support staff to attend seminars/ workshops to ensure that staff are refreshed to encourage increased output in the service. ####
Jeff Oguike
