OYSG Charges Civil Servants to Upskill Beyond Basic Training

Civil servants in Oyo State have been charged to seek knowledge beyond their present human capacity training to remain relevant in office, as the state government organized a one-day training workshop for 85 workers on a series of capacity-building sessions. 

The workshops comprised four groups of participants, including auditors, account officers, secretaries, and train-the-trainers, drawn from 25 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

The Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Professor Abdulwaheed Saliu Adelabu, made this charge in an interview with journalists shortly after declaring the workshop open, at Simeon Adebo Staff Development Center, Secretariat. He encouraged participants to “learn to earn” in order to increase their source of income.

The Commissioner emphasized that civil servants need to undergo more training and acquire additional skills that will enhance their efficiencies and responsibilities at the state level.

According to him, the government, through the Simeon Adebo Staff Development Center, is not relenting in ensuring that all cadres in the service are trained; both the academic and non-academic staff are working to sustain the legacy of Simeon Adebo.

Addressing the economic situation in the country, Professor Adelabu assured that the welfare of workers remains a priority for the state Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde. He noted that the economic hardship is not peculiar to Oyo State alone and that the government has been doing its best to cushion the effects.

“A couple of years back, it was only in Oyo State that we had an initiative called Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER). Also, there is a fuel subsidy allowance of N10,000 for each worker to ease transportation burden, as well as buses to convey them to and from different location,” he said.

He added that based on the economic indices, Oyo State is among the three best states in Nigeria in terms of workers’ welfare.

In his remark, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Establishments and Training, Alhaji Alade Bello, who was represented by the Director of Pension and Gratuity, Mr. Olufemi Ogungbile, encouraged participants to listen with rapt attention, noting that competence must be involved; otherwise, it will expire. 

He explained that capacity building is not about the number of years spent in service but about continuous updating. 

He added that knowledge acquired for competence yesterday may not be sufficient to address the present challenge, which is why regular updates are necessary.

The Executive Secretary, Simeon Adebo Staff Development Center, Mrs. Stella Okedum, in her welcome address, stated that given where the world is heading, it is no longer business as usual. She assured that Artificial Intelligence (AI) will not take the position of anyone who continues to learn.