The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has inaugurated Service Compact (SERVICOM) Marshals and Brigades, with a charge to act right and help the University in its service delivery.
The members of the SERVICOM Marshals comprises the academic and Non-teaching staff of the University while the students were inaugurated as SERVICOM Brigades.
Delivering her welcome address during the inauguration, the SERVICOM Focal Officer, Mrs. Adesumbo Laniyan narrated the history of SERVICOM as established in 2003 by the Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo to tackle the twin evil of inefficiency and corruption in the country’s Public Service.
She stated that the major goal of SERVICOM is to ensure that Nigerians have free access to the basic services they are entitled to and these services must be delivered timely, fairly, honestly, effectively and transparently.
According to her, FUNAAB SERVICOM Unit is responsible for monitoring services delivery in all service windows of the University.
On the other hand the Marshals and Brigades are responsible for monitoring compliance with university rules and regulations, gathering information on service failures in different service windows of the University for onward communication to the SERVICOM Unit; and where possible, carry out immediate redress of identified analysis”, she said.
The Focal Officer admonished the SERVICOM Marshals and Brigades to relate with staff, students and every other stakeholder courteously, in order to ensure that all their actions follow due process.
Mrs. Laniyan charged them not to engage in bribery or appear to influence decisions in favour of any person or organization. According to her, Marshals/Brigades must not use their positions to intimidate, harass or victimize their colleagues/students regardless of the circumstances.
He also appreciated the volunteers for accepting to take up the roles as Marshals and Brigades. The Vice-Chancellor tasked the volunteers to live up to the responsibility bestowed on them, while he advised staff to be efficient at their jobs.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, “Everybody is important in any system, and everybody is a leader. If you are a mail runner, that mail you did not deliver on time could cost a life. May be the transcript that you are suppose to send somewhere may cost someone his/her admission”.
He also noted that when we fall victim to poor service delivery, we blame everybody around us and condemn Nigeria, stating that Nigeria could only be good if we do our job efficiently.
The inauguration was concluded with the decoration of the Vice-Chancellor and other Principal Officers of the University as SERVICOM Honorary Marshals.