By Ayo Kehinde
Governor Monday Okpebholo has approved automatic employment for First Class graduates of Edo State extraction from any university in Nigeria and overseas as part of measures to boost the quality of manpower in the state civil service.
The Governor also approved the payment of the “13th month” salary for workers in State civil service.
Edo State Head of Service (HOS), Dr Anthony Okungbowa, who announced this in a statement on Friday, said the Graduate Development Programme (GDP) is targeted to ensure quality manpower is brought into the system for effective and efficient service delivery that will enhance growth and development.
“It is not just bringing them in, but also retaining them because retaining them is one of the major challenges facing the programme”, Okungbowa said, adding that the governor urged all First Class graduates from the state to come over for automatic employment.
“We are looking at the younger graduates from 2020, but Mr Governor may extend that. We are happy about this and appreciate the Governor because, through this, the service will have quality talents in the system.
“For everyone in that programme, they are moved round various Ministries, Departments and Agencies and plans are also on to move them to the private sector to gather more experiences after which they bring will such experiences to bear, to improve the system, to contribute to the development of the state”, Okungbowa said in the statement issued by Fred Itua, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.
