The Cross River State Health Insurance Agency has organised a two-day capacity-building and orientation workshop for newly employed civil servants to strengthen their knowledge of public service rules, ethics, discipline and professional conduct. The workshop, held from August 19 to 20, 2026, at the Agency’s Conference Hall, brought together staff employed between 2019 and 2026, alongside other members of staff.
The Director of Administration, Aje Ayuk, who represented the Director-General of the Agency, Chief Godwin Iyala, also served as coordinator of the workshop. The training featured lectures by a former Head of Service, Dr. Timothy O. Akawji, and a retired Permanent Secretary from the Office of the Head of Service, Mr. Emmanuel E. Eke.
Declaring the programme open, Aje Ayuk said the training was designed to equip newly employed staff with a proper understanding of the rules, ethics and responsibilities governing the Civil Service. She said, “When staff understand the system and know what is expected of them, they are better positioned to discharge their duties effectively and contribute meaningfully to the growth of the Agency.”
In his first lecture, Akawji took participants through key provisions of the Public Service Rules and Code of Conduct, including probation, acting appointments, promotion, leave of absence, secondment, conversion, lateral transfer, elongation and extension of service. He also addressed punctuality, attendance, truancy, official dress code and appropriate workplace appearance.
Akawji, in his second presentation, focused on conflict resolution in the workplace, urging civil servants to handle disagreements professionally and in accordance with established procedures. “Conflicts are inevitable in every workplace, but the manner in which they are handled determines whether they will strengthen or weaken the organisation,” he said, while also explaining the processes governing conversion and lateral transfer between ministries, departments and agencies.
Eke, in his presentation on ethics, discipline and integrity in the Public Service, emphasised integrity, punctuality, loyalty and confidentiality in the discharge of official duties. He cautioned participants against bribery and corruption and stressed the importance of political neutrality and protection of sensitive government information.
“As civil servants, you are expected to maintain integrity, loyalty, confidentiality and political neutrality in the discharge of your official responsibilities,” Eke said, urging the participants to resist every temptation to compromise their duties through bribery, corruption or other forms of misconduct.
He also exposed participants to the ethics and traditions of the Cross River State Civil Service, highlighting loyalty, discipline, courtesy, honesty, cooperation, prudence in managing government resources, tidiness and dedication to duty. He explained disciplinary measures, including queries, verbal warnings, suspension and reduction in rank, while underscoring integrity, honesty, probity, truthfulness and accountability.
The retired Permanent Secretary further guided participants on the preparation of official memoranda, briefs, Exco memoranda and circulars, including appropriate terminology and abbreviations in official communication. He said, “Public service is built on trust and accountability. Every officer must understand that government resources are not personal resources and must therefore be managed with prudence, honesty and a strong sense of responsibility.”
An interactive question-and-answer session enabled participants to seek clarification on their responsibilities and career progression. A representative of the newly employed staff expressed appreciation to the Agency’s management, saying, “The workshop has given us a better understanding of the Civil Service, the rules guiding our conduct and what is expected of us as public servants.”
In her closing remarks, Aje Ayuk thanked the facilitators and participants for their contributions and commitment to the programme. She also commended the Head of Service for the initiative, describing continuous capacity building as critical to preparing newly employed civil servants for effective and responsible service.
The workshop concluded with renewed emphasis on continuous staff development and periodic orientation programmes to deepen civil servants’ knowledge of public service regulations, strengthen professionalism and promote efficient service delivery across the state.
By Kingsley Agim
