By Maureen Agbala
The Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Chukwukadibia Okoye, has reiterated the importance of discipline, accountability and professionalism in the ministry, as he met with directors and heads of departments at the Jerome Udoji Secretariat, Awka.
The management meeting, held on July 10, focused on strengthening internal processes and improving the ministry’s capacity to deliver on its mandate in support of Anambra State’s development agenda.
Addressing the management team, Mr. Okoye stressed the need for punctuality and regular attendance, noting that public service requires commitment, responsibility and respect for official schedules.
He disclosed that recent unscheduled inspections revealed that some offices were not occupied during official resumption hours, describing the situation as a concern that needed to be addressed.
“Punctuality is essential to effective service delivery. Staff are expected to report to work promptly and remain at their duty posts except where official approval has been granted,” he said.
The commissioner announced measures aimed at improving the conduct of official meetings, saying that meetings would commence at the scheduled time and attendance would be monitored to encourage adherence to agreed schedules.
In addition, Mr. Okoye directed that minutes of meetings should be circulated at least 48 hours before subsequent meetings to enable participants to prepare adequately and contribute more effectively to deliberations.
The meeting reviewed key programmes and activities of the ministry, including departmental reports, the Medium-Term Sector Strategy (MTSS), engagements with the National Economic Council (NEC), preparations for the 2027 budget cycle and other ongoing government initiatives.
Mr. Okoye called for improved documentation, formal handover procedures and timely progress reporting on all ministry programmes, stressing that every assignment should have clear ownership and measurable outcomes.
“Proper documentation and timely reporting are critical to transparency and effective monitoring. We must ensure that all programmes are implemented with clear responsibilities and measurable results,” he added.
The commissioner encouraged staff to embrace the ministry’s renewed focus on teamwork, transparency and professionalism, expressing confidence that these measures would enhance service delivery and strengthen the ministry’s role in driving Anambra State’s economic planning and development initiatives.
Maureen is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
