ODSIP Newsletter Vol. 1. No. 12
According to the World Health Organisation (2020), over 200 million people living in developing nations, including Nigeria, lack access to basic medical supplies – ranging from drugs to vaccines, among others. Hence, healthcare systems at all levels, are confronted with significant obstacles that hinder the success of Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Meanwhile, the concept of UHC is to provide access to affordable, safe, effective and quality medicines and health commodities among people living in the developing world. As captured in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UHC aims to reduce influx of counterfeit pharmaceuticals that have invaded various countries’ supply chains. Over the years, counterfeits remain unlawful and pose significant public health risk that can result in death and undermine public trust in healthcare systems and experts.
Join us in Ensuring a Well-Functioning Bureaucracy – Ogundele Charges Ondo Public Servants
The Ondo State Public Service Change Ambassadors have been charged to join hands with government in ensuring a virile public service in the state. This charge was contained in an address delivered by the state Head of Service, Pastor Kayode Ogundele, FCIPM, at the 13th edition of his quarterly interactive sessions with the Change Ambassadors held on Thursday in Akure, the state capital.
According to Ogundele, the quarterly interactive sessions provide the opportunity to rob minds on how to move the state public service forward and proffer solutions to noticeable challenges across ministries, departments and agencies of government using the instrumentality of the reforms programmes of the Gov. Akeredolu's administration in the public service.
Noting that the state is blessed with abundant human resources, the Head of Service urged public servants to consistently work in line with the REDEEMED agenda of present administration to deliver dividends of good governance to the citizenry, adding that the Reform Office under his office would soon conduct the appraisal of the Change Ambassadors for the first half of the year 2023. 'This quarterly meeting has been a forum for us to interact as Reformers (Ambassadors of transformation), coordinate and proffer solutions to some of the challenges being faced by Ambassadors at our different MDAs, cross-fertilize ideas and peer learning, especially among Change Ambassadors, bringing to the fore pertinent reform related issues that demand prompt attention. All these we have been executing by exposing you to myriads of topical issues and systemic improvement methods which are capable of elevating the Public Service. As a result, I believe the objectives are being achieved and we shall do better’, Ogundele said.
'We cannot but admit that our dear State is one of the States in Nigeria that is richly blessed with amazing human and natural resources and it has gotten better since the creation of the Department of Public Service Reform and Development (DPSRD) also known as the Reform Office. The Reform Office is working in consonance with Mr. Governor’s REDEEMED Agenda and exposing us to reform initiatives to help improve and increase the capacity of Change Ambassadors and the public service at large. These efforts are required to be appreciated by Change Ambassadors in the way they impact on others,' he added.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Administrative Secretary, Public Service Reform Department, Mr Adewale Omomowo, who said his office has recorded some successes in the area of Public Service Reforms, charged the Change Ambassadors to live up to their responsibilities by cascading what they get from the quarterly interactions to their respective MDAs.
He noted that as ambassadors, they were expected to lay good examples for other categories of officers in the public service so that the Ondo State Public Service can rank as one of the best across the federation. In his words, 'Let me use this opportunity to remind our Change Ambassadors that you all need to intensify efforts in educating, enlightening and sensitizing the entire Public Servants across all MDAs of the tenets of ODSIP as some Officers have forgotten. Let me also reiterate that as Change Ambassadors, we have a whole lot on our hands as we are supposed to be the crème de la crème and be the pivot of all Reform activities and initiatives so that we can get it right and make the Ondo State Public Service the best among its equal: the cynosure of all eyes.'
'As you all know that the Department of Public Service Reform and Development has the mandate of driving and coordinating Reform activities in Ondo State which is the reason we keep striving for a better Ondo State Public Service. We have been upgrading some of our strategies and tools for driving reforms under the Ondo Service Improvement Programme (ODSIP) by assiduously working on digitization of the entire civil service,' he added.
The interactive session featured a lecture on '‘The Impact of Planning and Control on Effective Service Delivery’ delivered by a retired Permanent Secretary in the state civil service, Mr. Chris Kolawole and another one on 'Management of Waste, Access to Quality Environmental Health and the State Environmental Related Laws’ delivered by the General Manager, Ondo State Waste Management Agency, Prince Fola Omowole.
Sina Adeyeye,
Office of the HoS
ODSIP Newsletter Vol. 1. No. 11
Mr. Koledoye is an employee of the Ondo State Government and currently serving in a Ministry along Oyemekun road in Akure. He lives in a rented apartment around Ondo Road with other members of his family despite having a property at Ijoka area of Akure. His quest to rent an apartment away from home was based on appalling state of road linking his residence to other parts of the State. His house, in Ijoka area, though completed remains inaccessible and becomes a nightmare during raining season whilst successive governments have given no attention to the area. Without mincing words, the plight of Mr. Koledoye remains the predicament of many public servants and residents of Ondo State, especially those who live around Ijoka, Oda Road, Kajola, Adebowale and some other areas in the State. Prior to the beginning of Akeredolu-led administration, the media had been inundated with reports of residents and vehicles being swept away by erosion during raining season while some abandoned their houses in order to seek refuge at somewhere else.
ODSIP Newsletter Vol. 1. No. 10
Flood is a common phenomenon. However, in Nigeria’s recent experience, two bouts of flood stand out – the 2012 and 2022. Incessant flooding has brought worries and concerns not only to government, but Nigerians and international communities. According to reports, the flood killed over 600 people, injured about 2,400 persons and displaced over 1.4 million residents. In addition, over 200,000 homes/houses and other valuable properties were destroyed, while thousands of hectares of land were also damaged. Experts have observed that the flood was caused by heavy rainfall, climate change and release of water from the Lagdo Dam in Cameroon.
