As Oyo-Ita says conducive offices key to service delivery
Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The Federal Government on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with a private firm, Alpha Mead Group to begin the process of renovating abandoned and dilapidated structures located within the Federal Secretariat Complex in Abuja, through a Public Private Partnership arrangement.
The agreement covers the Ground Floor, Block A and Parking Lots of the Federal Secretariat, Phase II Complex, Abuja.
This is even as the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Winnifred Oyo-Ita, has tied high productivity of civil servants to the conducive environment in which they operate.
According to her, she is convinced that given a conducive working environment, workers would will be encouraged to put in their best.
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Oyo-Ita noted that over the years, some of the facilities at the secretariat have deteriorated to the extent that there were no longer conducive for workers and visitors.
The Head of Service said once the pilot scheme was successful, the arrangement would be extended to other government offices nationwide.
According to her, “Over the years, it had been observed that facilities in most of these buildings have deteriorated due to lack of maintenance while others had become obsolete.
“The state of the buildings was no longer conducive to workers and visitors and did nothing to project government in a positive light.
“With the establishment of the PPP Units in MDAs In November 2012, government had set the tone for collaboration between the public and private sectors on developmental programmes aimed at ensuring regular and proper maintenance of structures and facilities, while providing the much needed funds through IGR.
“It is hoped that on completion, this project will,serve as a model for all federal secretariats nationwide and restore the good image and dignity of government buildings.”
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties Office, Leon Aliboh, said the decision to put to optimal use all under-utilised, abandoned and dilapidating government assets nationwide was in line with the Head of Civil Service of the Federation’s Public Service Reforms Plan 2017-2020.
He explained that to fully accomplish the initiative in the face of paucity of funds, the office held consultations with the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission with a view to sourcing for funds from government which may not be forthcoming as expected.
Aliboh added that the modified design of the areas to be affected by the agreement had been subjected to scrutiny by professionals from the Federal Capital Territory Development Control Department.
He also expressed the conviction that the success of the pilot initiative would be extended to other dilapidating government assets nationwide.
Representatives of the firm said the idea behind the agreement was deliver quality work environment that can compete favourably with any work environment across the world.
They said the initiative would involve the provision of functional and modern fire systems,integrated access control management system, visitor management systems, car park management system, best in class work spaces, overall transformation of public assets as well as restoration of national pride.