Delta State government has disclosed readiness to revive Service Compact (SERVICOM) in Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs) and local governments for optimum public service delivery.
SERVICOM was introduced by the federal government in 2004 and domesticated in Delta state in 2009 to empower public officers to be to their responsibilities in providing improved, efficient, timely and transparent services, but collapsed years later.
Executive Assistant to Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Public Enlightenment (Government Projects and Policies), Mr Olisa Ifeajika, who disclosed this on Monday in Asaba, said the Governor was concerned about the deteriorating service delivery across the MDAs and local governments, urging public servants in the state to brace up to the new normal.
According to him, the Office of the Senior Policy Adviser to the Governor, Rt. Hon. Funkekeme Solomon, had embarked on sensitisation to MDAs on the need to sit up in their responsibilities, adding that so far, they have visited 55 out of the 132 MDAs and 25 local government councils.
He said SERVICOM had been around over the years but had failed to make the necessary changes to ensure quality service delivery.
The former Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa stated that “as this administration is continuing with the projects of the previous administrations, Governor Oborevwori’s administration is also interested in ensuring delivery of quality service to the people of the state.
“The new thing is that public service is the blood of government, the brain box. When you have a corrupt undisciplined and irresponsible public service the government of the day is doomed.
“Beyond providing infrastructure for the people there is the need to keep a disciplined public service that will drive service delivery across all MDAs and the local governments.
“SERVICOM was established by the Federal Government in 2004 to render services as it should be in all of its agencies to every Nigerian.
“It was domesticated in Delta in 2009 during the administration of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and was signed into law on March 2, 2009.
“As Deltans, you have a right to be served right by the government and the public service drives the process of governance.
“I have come to tell us that aside from providing infrastructure, our dear Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, has directed that all public servants must re-enact the culture of SERVICOM.
“SERVICOM in Delta is domiciled in the Office of the Senior Policy Adviser to the Governor, Rt. Hon. Funkekeme Solomon and so far, they have visited 55 MDAs out of the 132 MDAs and 25 local government councils.
“There is a ‘new Sheriff in town’ and the culture of irresponsible attitude to work is gone. When the government is providing services like road infrastructure, the public service must be ready to play its role effectively.
“SERVICOM is now an integral part of governance, every Deltan has a right to be served properly and all MDAs have been told to establish SERVICOM units to ensure compliance in line with the MORE agenda of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori.”
He made it clear that those those found wanting in their duties would by extant rules be punished.
On the conversion of government lands for private use, Ifeajika said: “Some persons by way of impunity and blatant arrogance have appropriated government lands for their use.
“This administration has empowered the task force on recovery of government lands to recover every government land across the state.
“If there is any building on those lands, they will be pulled down. So people are advised to stay away from government lands even in the local government areas.
“There is the popular saying that ‘when there is a will, there is a way’. Here in Delta, there is a will to have a disciplined and accountable public service.
“These policies have come and we must embrace them for the good and sustainable development of our dear state,” Ifeajika stated.
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