By Ozioruva Aliu, BENIN CITY

THE BRACED Commission states comprising Edo, Rivers, Delta, Cross River, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom have finalised plans to adopt key components of the Benin Declaration in an effort to transform the civil/public service in the region.

It was part of the outcome of a retreat for Heads of Service of the states in the region organised by the Edo State government owned, John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy, JOOPSA, from July 3 to 5, 2024.

The participants at retreat with the them, ‘Leadership in the Public Sector: Strengthening Public Institutions,’ came out with a draft document called the “Benin Declaration,” which is a comprehensive roadmap for public services in the BRACED states over the next three years.

In a document made available to journalists by the Director General of JOOPSA, Imuwahen Ajoonu, the BRACED states’ head of service have shown commitment to the transformative initiative agreed at the retreat.

The key elements in the document include, “Digital literacy and paperless operations: By December 31, 2027, which will ensure that the civil and public services in the region will be digitized, transitioning to paperless operations to enhance efficiency and transparency.

“Capacity Building: By December 31, 2026, 50 per cent of all civil and public servants in the BRACED states will have undergone basic skills training or attended specialized courses.

“This will be facilitated through the John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy in Edo State, as well as other national and international centers.

“Staff motivation: Efforts will be made to improve the work environment, offer competitive wages, and provide other incentives to boost staff retention and reduce anti-intellectualism in the service.”

Vanguard News