FG grants 19,439 housing loan to bridge deficit

By The Rainbow

About 19,439  federal civil servants have benefited from the staff housing loan scheme by the Federal Government to solve housing deficit in the country, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transport, Engr. Nebolisa Emodi, said.

According to Emordi, the scheme is part of the welfare package intended by government to motivate the federal civil servants to increase productivity and efficiency in service delivery.

The permanent secretary spoke in Enugu at the an interactive session with state based federal civil servants in Akwa, Anambra State, said

He was represented by head of civil service of the federation, Alhaji Bukar Aji Goni.

He said that staff housing estates have also been commissioned to accommodate more civil servants.

President Jonathan, according to Emordi,  has approved the procurement of 30 new staff buses to cushion the hardship faced by civil servants as a result of the new transport policy in the Abuja, adding that other challenges confronting civil servants are being addressed.

A statement signed by
Deputy Director in charge of Public Relation in the ministry of transport, Yetunde Sonaike, quoted the  permanent secretary saying that the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation was being  reformed to focus attention more on general welfare, capacity building, mentoring and succession planning.

The permanent secretary pointed out that government is determined to reposition the civil service to enable it deliver on its mandate.

He listed some of the reforms initiated by the present administration to include : the establishment of Pension Transitional Arrangement Department (PTAD), appointment of new Director-General who reports to the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF) and upgrading of the National Record Centre, Karu, Abuja to ensure proper record management in the Civil Service.

He also informed the gathering that Human Resource Component of Intergrated Payroll Personel Information System (IPPIS) has been relocated from the office of the Accountant General of Federation to the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation. He highlighted some of the government's achievements in the Agricultural, Transport, Health, Power, Aviation as well as Education Sectors.

He urged the civil servants in the country to reciprocate government's gesture by ensuring that they are punctual to work, there is zero tolerance to corruption and strictly work within the ambit of Public Service Rules (PSR), Financial Regulations, Procurement Act and Freedom of Information Act amongst others, stressing the need for them to be dependable so that they can perform their duties efficiently and effectively.