The Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo has retained the policies of the immediate past government of Godwin Obaseki of offering automatic employment to indigenes of the state who obtain first-class degrees in any university in the country.
DAILY POST reports that the governor also retained the payment of 13 months’ salary for workers in the state government employment.
The governor, however, modified the policy by extending it to benefit those who graduated from universities overseas and those who graduated since 2020.
DAILY POST reported that the immediate past government of Godwin Obaseki first introduced the policy of automatic employment for the first class graduates of the state and the payment of 13th-month salary to state workers.
Obaseki had said the policy was to boost the quality of staff in the civil and public service as well as to boost staff morale for maximum productivity.
In retaining the policies, Governor Okpebholo said the Graduate Development Programme, GDP is to ensure that quality manpower is brought into the system for effective and efficient service delivery that would enhance growth and development.
Dr Anthony Okungbowa, the State Head of Service disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Friday in Benin City by Fred Itua, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.
He said the policy of automatic employment for First Class graduates of Edo extraction from any university in Nigeria and abroad into the state civil service was to boost the quality of manpower in the system.
Okungbowa said the Governor was doing this to serve as motivation for workers as they are ready to put in their best now.
“Mr Governor has approved the Graduate Development Programme (GDP) that brings together First Class graduates and high-grade degrees into the service to develop and ensure quality manpower in the system.
“Mr Governor has approved it. He approved the policy of bringing in First Class graduates into the Edo State Civil and Public Service. He believes that the policy will help the State bring in top quality talents into the system.
“It is not just bringing them in but also retaining them because retaining them is one of the major challenges facing the programme.
“Mr. Governor is intentional about bringing them in and retaining these top-level talents in the service. The Governor is using this medium to urge all first-class graduates from Edo extraction across all universities in Nigeria and abroad to come over as they will have automatic employment. We are looking at the younger graduates from 2020, but Mr. Governor may extend that”, he said.
Okungbowa noted that through the Graduate Development Programme (GDP), the service would have quality talents in the system
“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.
“Sustainability depends on you and me since the political will is there and I am happy because it is the direction of government. We are partnering with Edo Innovate to ensure improvement in the programme”, he added.
Gov Okpebholo retains Obaseki’s automatic employment policy for first-class graduates
