The Oyo State Government has urged civil servants to upskill to stay relevant and improve service delivery.
The state Commissioner for Establishments and Training, Prof. Abdulwaheed Adelabu, advised at a one-day capacity building workshop for 85 civil servants in Ibadan on Friday.
He said that the government remains committed to training both academic and non-academic staff to ensure their optimum performance.
According to him, continuous training is critical to boost efficiency and meet evolving demands at the state level.
Speaking on workers’ welfare, Adelabu said that Gov. Makinde’s administration prioritises staff well-being despite the national economic hardship.
He cited the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) initiative, the N10,000 monthly fuel subsidy allowance, and the provision of government buses as measures to cushion the impact.
“Based on economic indices, Oyo State is among the three best states in Nigeria when it comes to workers’ welfare,” he said.
He, however, charged the workers to diversify their income.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Establishments and Training, Alhaji Alade Bello, represented by the Director of Pension and Gratuity, Mr Olufemi Ogungbile, told participants that competence expires without updates.
Bello stressed that capacity building is not about years in service, but about continuous learning to meet present challenges.
The Executive Secretary of the Simeon Adebo Staff Development Centre, Mrs Stella Okedum, said, “It is no longer business as usual,” in view of global trends.
She assured workers that Artificial Intelligence (AI) would not replace anyone committed to learning and upgrading their skills.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop drew auditors, account officers, secretaries, and train-the-trainer participants from 25 Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
(NAN)
