The Kwara State government yesterday distributed N3 billion as car loan to 5,000 civil servants in the state.
Primary and secondary school teachers formed the bulk of the beneficiaries of the car loan.
The government had earlier in the year distributed N1billion as car loan to the first set of beneficiaries.
This is just as the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed commissioned a N68 million ultra modern NUJ press centre in Ilorin, the state capital.
The state government financed the project.
Speaking at the flag off of the N3 billion vehicle loan to the civil servants, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed described civil servants as foot soldiers of good governance. The governor, who said that his administration had realised that the greatest impetus for effective service delivery is the provision of incentives to hard working civil servants, added that his administration is committed to improving the welfare of civil servants across the state, including secondary and primary school teachers.
"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 especially by today's flag off of N3billion in vehicle loans to qualified civil servants. As you are all aware, the first tranche of N1billion was disbursed to civil servants earlier in the year", he said.
He said that his government has approved the renovation of offices in Ministries of Health, Commerce and the Local Government Service Commission. He added that other measures 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 civil servants and the recent negotiation with Estate Developers for providing houses at affordable rate to workers in the state.
"It is essential to reiterate at this point that provision of vehicle loan to civil servants is one of the incentive programmes initiated by the immediate past administration led by Senator Abubakar Bukola Saraki.
"In keeping with continuity in governance, this administration is sustaining the program by granting 1 Billion naira earlier in the year and flagging-off today's disbursement of an additional Three Billion Naira to civil servants.
"Let me seize this opportunity to re-affirm the political will and commitment of the government toward providing additional incentive to civil servants such as housing loans and comfortable office accommodation for the effective performance. "Indeed, government has concluded plans to build a new secretariat to be occupied by staff of four ministries as part of efforts create a conducive atmosphere for enhanced service delivery", the governor stated.
