Abiodun’s Government Proposes State-Owned Exam Institute

Prince Dapo Abiodun’s government in Ogun State is considering the need to establish an institute, which will conduct entrance examinations for prospective applicants into its Public/Civil Service.

The Chairman, Civil Service Commission, Engr. Tokunbo Odebunmi, disclosed this during an interview with newsmen at his office in Abeokuta, saying it would afford government the opportunity to be in-charge of any examination that would bring in new candidates into the service, rather than contracting it to an external body.

The Commission Chairman said he would work out modalities with the office of the Head of Service and Bureau of Establishment and Training to achieve the goal, by encouraging the government to put necessary measures in place, towards giving the Staff Development Center a facelift.

Odebunmi emphasised that the proposed institute would reduce cost incurred by the government on examination process, as well as achieve professionalism and productivity in service delivery, noting that the State already has the facility in place.

“We are looking at how we can conduct examinations ourselves, instead of depending on the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON). We want to own our college, and one of the conditions of owning a college is the location that we have chosen, which is the Staff Development Center, a very good place to site the college. If we can achieve this, we will be able to draw a 12 calendar month programme on training and retraining of workers’’, he said.

The Chairman, while speaking on the backlogs of promotion, said the commission has begun the process, assuring that all workers would get their promotions in due time.

He appreciated the commission’s past chairmen for their hard work and contributions to the development of the commission, saying the agency would continue to deliver on its mandates, admonishing civil servants to be committed to their duties.

Packaged by Hazeez Ayansola