By Evelyn Omotoye
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It was a wonderful atmosphere as public servants, as well as government officials in the state gathered and welcomed one another to the first work day in the year 2019 at the Governor’s office, Alagbaka, Akure.

In a joyous mood, the workers danced and sang praises, worshipping with different hymns  in appreciation to God for “His mercies and sustaining grace” in the past year, while also seeking God’s face for the new year, 2019.

The workers led by  the Head of Service, Barr. Toyin Akinkuotu, commended the State Governor Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu for keeping his promises of salary payment and remarked that the past year under the present administration in the state fared well.

His words,”For us the public servants in the state, we are in a mood of celebration. We thank God for the government that has brought joy into our homes. Two years ago, when this government came on board,  it was a period of despondency. When your workers are not being paid for seven months, you are telling them to go and die, it was a bad situation”, he recalled.

Appreciating the governor for taking the workers’ welfare seriously, Akinkuotu, in his analysis said the welfare situation of the workers to have risen from 40percent when the present government came into power to 98percent now, hoping that the remaining two percent would be done in the new year.

The year 2019, being an election year, according to the HoS, is very crucial to both the government and the people of the state. He therefore charged the public servants, saying, ” shine your eyes and work hard to ensure you don’t go back to Egypt”.

With his popular song of praise repeatedly sung,  iyin ye Olorun wa, Oba to n gbo adura…, the state governor Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, was ushered to the podium to address the gathering who greeted him with resounding applause.

Akeredolu, who commended the initiator of the first workday annual prayer meeting of governor with public servants, later declared the new year as as a great year of advancement for the state.

The governor stated that his administration has kept to the promise of improving workers’ welfare and prompt payment of salaries, recalling his pledge to the state workforce  on assumption of office, that he would not owe workers’ salary.

“When I came into office, I made a promise that we will not owe workers’ salary and we have not owed. Yes! salary is a right, even though you have been denied before, we will not deny you the right to your salary. We have a responsibility to the people of the state and the civil servant, we will try and balance it.

“We are determined to see what we can do and do our best for the state, there is no way we can be successful without the beaurecracy. I must say, we have enjoyed the cooperation of the civil servants”, he acknowledged.

Akeredolu, who noted that complaints are parts of  burden of leadership, assuring the gathering that he would bear it, having learnt a great lesson from Moses’ leadership struggle with the Israelites.

“If you have complaints, please complain. Complaint is part of the burden of leadership and I want to tell you, am ready to accept it because Moses suffered the same fate. At the end of the day, we will all smile when we get to the promise land.

He however urged the workers to charge themselves for greater works and rededicate themselves to duty for optimum performance which could leave their footprints on the sand of time.

“Let us rededicate ourselves to the service of the state. Let us know that we are a passing phase,  we should leave in the sand of time our footprints. There are lots that can still be done. We will re-engineer our civil service, but not by retrenching people.

“Reorientation of the civil servant and re-engineering the service are tasks that must be achieved”, the governor maintained .

On the issue of security, the Governor thanked the security agencies for their efforts in confronting the recent challenges in the state. He added the military had combed the forest reserves in Akure – Owo – Akoko highway, while the Police are now on constant patrol in the area, allaying the fears of the people.

Akeredolu jocularly said he would have loved to name the 2019 budget he presented to the state House of Assembly recently as “Budget of Rapid Acceleration” if he had earlier listened to the sermon preached at the prayer meeting.

Meanwhile, earlier in his sermon of exhortation, Bishop Felix Adejumo of the Agape Christian Ministry had charged the gathering to, as an individual, work harder to make a difference in their respective domains, saying life is about investment,  returns and accountability.

The cleric, who titled his message “Making a difference “, analysed the only Bible lesson taken by the State Governor from the Book of Genesis, Chapter 2 Verses 8-15 as a picture of a place like Ondo State naturally blessed by God.

While he explained that the four rivers in the passage namely: Pison, Gihon, Hiddekel, and Euphrates mean increase, burst forth, rapid acceleration and fruitfulness respectively.

Adejumo maintained that God had already made provisions for mankind, he added that these provisions can be explored only by developing human capacity which he said demands good leadership.

He particularly charged the leaders in various capacities not to misuse their positions but rather see themselves as a compass showing the way and charting a course for their followers.

“Leadership is about influence not intimidation Show good example to others, invest more into human capacity. There must be a deliberate training of people in order to add value.  There must be reorientation of the workforce and restoration of our values”, Adejumo tasked the leaders.

The Bishop equally charged the workers to have  the right attitude towards their duty and give in their best to make a difference, saying there is dignity in labour.

In separate interviews with some public servants at the gathering, they thanked God and the government for its effects in ensuring better life for them, while expressing high hope in the year  2019. They expect the government and the people to be more proactive and be committed to developing the state.

The high point of the programme was a special prayers offered for the country, state, governor Akeredolu and family as well as the public servants of the state by the CAN State Chairman, PFN chairman among other clergymen.