SERVICOM tasks N’ Delta ministry on service delivery
SERVICOM has charged the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and other intervention agencies to render services that are geared towards human and infrastructural development in the Niger Delta region.
This charge was made in Abuja on Wednesday by the Acting National Coordinator, SERVICOM, Mrs. Nnenna Akajameli, during a working visit on the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani.
In the words of Mrs. Akajameli; “Government is all about the people and public service is the only contact that most citizens have with government.”
Also in his remarks, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani, said “managing the affairs of the Niger Delta region is like governing the country as they are made of similar complexities.”
He stated this in recognition of the importance of the link between quality of governance, service delivery and expectations of its citizenry. He added: “We are prepared to let the people know what we are doing as this is the only way to serve them well.”
Pastor Usani reiterated that the management of the Ministry was integrating the state governments and communities in the Niger Delta region in the monitoring of what it is doing in order to avoid conflict of functions and waste.
The Minister stressed: “The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has not done anything to suggest that it has departed from its developmental strides in the oil rich Niger Delta region. So destruction of the existing developmental projects in the area must stop, as growth can only be achieved through a non- violent approach”.
He urged SERVICOM to lend its voice in advocating for peace in the region.
Pastor Usani assured that staff of the Ministry would be motivated for enhanced service delivery.
Earlier, Akajameli had said that the purpose of the visit, among others, was to solicit the Ministry’s support for the Ministerial SERVICOM Unit (MSU) and staff of the unit as this would encourage and strengthen them as the organisation’s ‘foot soldiers’ in entrenching the culture of citizen-focused service delivery.
She implored Usani to launch the Ministry’s Service Charter, being a document of intent that engages the Ministry, its various customers and stakeholders on service delivery, standards and expectations.
Akajemeli commended the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs on the training and empowerment of the youths from the region and its strategies on stemming the resurgence of militancy in the region.
She observed that lack of synergy between the Ministry and host communities, duplication of projects in the region by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Presidential Amnesty Programme Office, states and local governments, are some draw backs on service delivery in the region.
The Minister of State for Niger Affairs, Prof. Claudius Omoleye Daramola, said the Ministry’s allocation in the 2016 budget was too meagre compared to that of the Amnesty Programme Office and the NDDC for execution of projects in the region.
Olso contributing, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mr. Alo Williams Nwankwo disclosed that concerted efforts were being made to overcome the challenges confronting the Ministry in its determination to serve the Niger Delta people and the nation at large.
