Call it better life for Kwara State civil servants you will not be wrong. The fact is that most of them presently enjoy the bragging rights of being car owners. This new status was conferred on them courtesy of the car loans granted civil servants in the state by the administration of Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed.

This gesture came under the auspices of the "shared prosperity" slogan of Governor Ahmed to ensure better living for all and sundry. It is part and parcel of his "continued legacy" from the immediate past governor, Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki, who is now a serving senator representing Kwara Central senatorial district.

The target aside, the shared prosperity slogan is also to encourage the civil servants in the State of Harmony to be more committed to their dutiesin the light of the general belief that the civil service is the engine room of government.

Speaking on the occasion of the flag-off of the N3 billion vehicle loans to civil servants in the state at the government’s banquet hall in Ilorin,recently,Governor Ahmed said the gesture derives from the realisation that the greatest impetus for effective service delivery is the provision of incentives to hard working civil servants.

Prompt payment

"Being an impact-focused administration, therefore, we accord the welfare of civil servants the highest priority as demonstrated by the prompt payment of salaries and… by today’s flag-off of N3billion in vehicle loans to qualifying civil servants. As you are all aware, the first tranche of N1billion was disbursed to civil servants earlier in the year.

"Realising the crucial roles of civil servants, this government approved the renovation of offices in Ministries of Health, Commerce and the Local Government Service Commission. Also put in place are welfare policies and programmes such as training and retraining of staff for better performance,employment opportunities for the teaming youths of the state through KWABES, approval of the sale of government quarters to sitting civil servants and the recent negotiation with Estate Developers for providing houses at affordable rate to workers in the state," he said.

The Governor also re-affirmed the political will and commitment of his government toward providing additional incentive to civil servants such as housing loans and comfortable office accommodation for the effective performance.

He added that his government has concluded plans to build a new secretariat to be occupied by staff of four ministries as part of efforts to create a conducive atmosphere for enhanced service delivery.

"As a popular adage goes, to whom much is given much is expected. I therefore call on all civil servants to reciprocate this and other welfare incentives provided by government by re-doubling your dedication and loyalty to the government through efficient and effective performance as outlined in performance contracts. In doing that, you will be contributing to government efforts at making life better for all the people of Kwara, including yours and those of your families," he said.

The Head of Service, HOS, Alhaji Dabarako Mohammed, in his address at the occasion, recalled that one of the campaign promises of the present government is to continue to address welfare of service providers in terms of comfortable office accommodation, office equipment, housing, training for improved performance and access to various forms of loans to buy cars, own computers and generally have access to good things of life, adding that the government had not reneged in giving necessary support in those regard.

Dabarako also said that the government approved sales of 118 houses to sitting civil servants who are staying in Government Residential Quarters to enable them own houses, adding that the gesture was in addition to ongoing negotiation with estate developers to provide houses at affordable rates to workers in the state.

"In October 2007, the immediate past administration commenced the vehicle loan programme for civil servants and for the first time in the history of Kwara State and in the spirit of continuity, 1603 officers benefited from N1 billion car loan, courtesy of Governor Ahmed. Today, by the special grace of God, a sum of N3 billion vehicle loan is being flagged off for the benefit of 2,323 TESCOM teachers, 2,028 SUBEB teachers and 804 additional beneficiaries from mainstream of the state service. Today’s action has erased the impression that teachers’ reward is in Heaven," he said.

One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Bola Adigun who spoke with Vanguard Features said:  "I am highly happy because this is what I have been looking for since, and thank God, it has come and I laud the state government for this gesture"

Also, Mrs.  Mopelola Kehinde lauded the state government for the loan and promised to be more committed to work  so as to assist the state to achieve better service delivery to the people of the state.

Commenting on the loan, the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour  Congress,NLC, Comrade Akanbi Farouq commended the state government for the loan, saying that "the leadership of the NLC in Kwara really appreciate the gesture".

He appealed to the government to ensure that the bank upon which the facility is granted to workers should not review the interest rate on the loan at will, stressing that the government should also ensure the monitoring of the  deduction on repayment of the loan by the workers  so as not to compound their problem.