By Palma Ileye
Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo has received the Meritorious Award of Excellence and has been conferred by the Joint Union Negotiation Council, JUNC, of the Interior Ministry for his achievements and commitment to Staff welfare and repositioning of its Agencies.
Speaking yesterday at the Town Hall Meeting of Staff, Permanent Secretary and the Minister held at the Ministry of Interior Headquarters in Abuja, Tunji-Ojo while receiving the award said that Staff welfare was being prioritised because efficiency was sacrosanct and important for the development of the nation.
He said that a happy workforce was an efficient system and if Members of Staff were not happy, there can’t be efficiency noting that happiness on the job brings creativity to the job and creativity was the foundation for innovation and without innovation there can’t be good performance.
He added, “Last one year when we got here, there were issues with buses of course we don’t have a bottomless pocket but within the confines of what we have, your welfare has been priortised. Because we understand that a happy workforce is an efficient system. If you are not happy, you can’t be efficient and happiness on the job brings creativity to the job and creativity is the foundation for innovation and without innovation you cannot perform.
“So if you want to perform, you must ensure that your workers are ready to go a whole mile with you because they know that you care about them. And I want to say this to you very clearly, donot miss this, we care about you.”
The Minister also commended the Union and Staff of the Ministry for their dedication to work and efforts in ensuring efficiency for repositioning and national development.
Also, the Permanent Secretary of the Interior Ministry, Dr. Magdalene Ajani stated that the general Staff training was to commence with immediate effect because it was necessary for work effectiveness and staff development.
“And for me it is apt because haven’t taken griefs from everybody. It’s also an opportunity for me to hear you and also share with you the vision and the policy strategic part that we will be going through.The vision, of course, and the mandates is rooted in the performance Management contract that the Minister and the permanent secretary signed with Mister president and also the mandates for the creation of the Ministry of Interior. We have received that approval now and so training commenced immediately. So I can say to you that ACTU has already concluded and they benefited from an organized training from ICPC a week ago.So what is approved in your training program can come up now for implementation,” she explained.
Ajani disclosed that mobility for Staff was also priortised to enable easy movement and productivity ensuring that as for the proposed provision for Staff, a request was sent to the Minister and has been approved to so as to achieve set goals in the Ministry.
At the Town Hall Meeting, the Chairman, Joint Union of the Interior Ministry, Abuja, Ukpenetus Bassey said that the essence of the Town Hall Meeting, award and conferment was to honour the Minister for his outstanding achievements which has been able to reposition the Ministry and its Agencies for economic growth and development.
Bassey stated that the Minister has ensured that Staff welfare was taken care of and nothing was being done less than that.
He stressed that the Union plays a pivotal role in the success or failure of management processes in any given establishment therefore the Union must be heard when it speaks adding that, “As a coordinating and rallying point, Staff welfare remains it primary responsibility and as such, Management must development a face to face interface in dealing with Staff matters. Work is made easy, result oriented and work in progress is gauranteed when you see Staff as partners in progress towards working towards organisational goal.”
