There should be balance between Discipline, Welfare in Civil Service – Laolu Akande

…says Govts in Nigeria should do more public communication

Laolu Akande, a former presidential spokesperson, has underscored the importance of striking a balance between discipline and welfare within the civil service.
During an interview on Channels Television, Akande spoke on the current state of the Nigerian civil service, emphasizing the need to maintain equilibrium in how civil servants are treated.

He acknowledged the significance of maintaining discipline among civil servants while simultaneously addressing their welfare needs. Akande believes that a harmonious balance between these two aspects is vital for a healthy and productive workforce.

Akande voiced his concerns against the backdrop of the recent protest by NIPOST staff over the appointment of Tola Odeyemi as the new Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) on Monday.
Recall that the unrest began last Wednesday when President Tinubu appointed Tola Odeyemi as the new Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effectively replacing Adeyemi Adepoju in the role. This was one of several recent appointments of chief executives for federal government agencies, as announced by Ajuri Ngelale, the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.
However, complications arose when, just hours after the appointment, a statement appeared on the NIPOST website, claiming that Adepoju had been reinstated by the President.
Akande has accused certain government officials of trying to destabilize President Tinubu’s administration and suggested that civil servants who breach established Civil Service rules should face severe consequences.
The former presidential spokesperson strongly criticized the protesting NIPOST staff for their actions, particularly their actions in “locking out” Odeyemi after her presidential appointment. He called on the government to enforce discipline among unruly civil servants, emphasizing the importance of civil service reform.
He said “It’s left to the authority to ensure that things are done right. I just think this must be part of the civil service reform” process.
Akande expressed concern over the apparent efforts to undermine President Tinubu’s leadership and urged the Chief of Staff to the President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to address the matter promptly.
The former presidential aide also emphasized the need for government at all levels to engage more with the people through communication.
Akande said “Public communication is such a big deal. But in our country, a lot of things are still done in an opaque way and it is not helping the government to earn the trust of the people.
“We have to do more in terms of public communication. We are dealing with over 200 million,” he said.