Head Of Service Decries Poor Toilet Facility In Federal Secretariat

By Matthew Ogune, Abuja

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Dr. (Mrs.) Folasade Yemi-Esan has expressed displeasure over the poor state of toilets in Phase 1 Complex of the Federal Secretariat, Abuja.

According to a statement by the Director of Press, Ministry of Niger Delta, Deworitshe Patricia, Yemi-Esan raised the alarm while inspecting the complex recently in Abuja.

The HCSF according to Patricia therefore enjoined all the Permanent Secretaries concerned to improve on the toilet facilities before her next visit.

She stated that the welfare of civil servants is paramount and would not want them to work in conditions that could further endanger their health especially in this pandemic era.

Yemi-Esan explained that the Office has given permanent secretaries guidelines on what they should do and what they should provide for staff to support the efforts of government to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in workplaces.

She said that the inspection was to ascertain how much of the instructions have been implemented.

From her assessment, Dr Yemi Esan commended the Permanent Secretaries in the complex for providing hand washing points placed in strategic places, noting that enough sanitizing points have being put in place to avoid the spread of the virus.

She emphasized that apart from the efforts of the permanent secretaries, the HCSF is also working with the FCTA and the Ministry of Finance to ensure that the working condition in the federal secretariats are improved upon especially during this period.

Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Olusade Adesola, who chairs the Ad-hoc Committee of Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDA’s) in the Phase I Secretariat stated that efforts are being put in place to ensure adequate supply of water in the complex, because without water, it would be difficult to maintain a clean environment.

Olusade explained that various measures were being put in place for staff to ensure a safe work environment.

According to him, “hand washing points are situated in all entry points of the complex, hand sanitizers are also provided by respective Ministries at the respective floors and individual ministries have been enjoined to provide face mask for their staff.”

It will be recalled that, on Wednesday, 25 March, 2020, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Olusade Adesola chaired a meeting of MDAs resident in the Phase I Federal Secretariat to address measures that would help prevent infection of Covid-19 among staff reporting for duties.