By Martha Agas
—– The Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) has charged newly recruited staff to uphold integrity and professionalism in public service.
The Director-General of the MCO, Obadiah Nkom, gave the charge on Tuesday in Abuja
during the induction of new staff and administration of the Oath of Secrecy and Allegiance.
Nkom urged the inductees to build a positive reputation from the beginning of their careers
saying they must strive to leave an enduring legacy through dedication and responsible service.
The MCO boss described their appointments as a privilege to serve Nigeria and support national development.
He said the induction was designed to familiarise them with public service procedures and governance principles, while the programme would improve their effectiveness and strengthen service delivery across the agency.
“The public service cannot be better. Governance will be very difficult,” he said.
He explained that management introduced the induction because some workers had not undergone such training.
“We find people who have not sworn the oath of allegiance and secrecy, not knowing the implications,” he said.
The MCO DG said the oath would remind staff about confidentiality obligations.
He warned that breaches involving official secrets could attract legal consequences under existing laws.
“By the time they are administered with the oath, they know that the law takes its course,” Nkom said.
He stressed the need to improve standards and promote discipline across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
“We need to make the service better. We need to bring discipline,” he added.
Nkom said the civil service remained a structured institution guided by rules and regulations.
According to him, discipline was essential for achieving effective governance and public confidence.
“In the public service, there are rules to guide everyone,” he said, adding that adherence to regulations had contributed to improvements within government institutions.
Nkom also highlighted ongoing reforms in the mining sector aimed at economic diversification.
“Look at what the President is doing and what the Solid Minerals Minister is doing,” he said.
He noted that several developments were taking place in the sector through improved governance.
“A lot is happening. It is all about governance and governance is about the people,” he said.
In her remarks, Mrs Ijeoma Idika, Director of Human Resource Management, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, described induction as vital.
Idika said the programme introduced new civil servants to their offices’ operations and mandates.
She explained that the training would guide staff towards efficient and effective service delivery.
The human resource director added that induction would support career growth among the new employees.
Speaking for the inductees, Olamijulu Emmanuel, a Mining Engineer, pledged commitment to public service values, assuring that they would maintain good reputations and build positive working relationships.
Emmanuel also promised that the new staff would communicate effectively and follow service rules.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 111 staff members participated in the induction.
The inductees included employees recruited in 2025 and 2023 across the organisation.
