The Edo State government has said that the appointment of Permanent Secretaries (PS) in the state civil service will now be strictly based on merit and no longer on imposition.

Deputy Governor of the state, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, said this when he presided over an expanded breakfast meeting of the Head of Service with Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) at the New Festival Hall, Edo State Government House.

Idahosa explained that discontinuing the appointment of non-career PS, as well as merit-based appointments of PS, would facilitate smooth career progression and also boost the morale of civil servants.

He further noted that the era of appointing non-career civil servants as PS is over. He stated that the Sen. Monday Okpebholo-led administration is committed to ensuring that the state civil service is run solely by professionals.

“There was a time when consultants were used as permanent secretaries in the state. Governor Monday Okpebholo changed this narrative, and many civil servants have been elevated to positions of permanent secretaries,” he stated.

Idahosa assured them of job progression, pointing out that the administration of Governor Monday Okpebholo was on the ground to right perceived wrongs of previous administrations.

He pointed out that the governor’s SHINE Agenda cannot succeed without the input and impact of civil servants.
He stated that the breakfast meeting provided an opportunity for direct communication between the political leadership and the state’s civil servants to build synergy on how to make the workforce a better place.

Idahosa said, “We are all gathered to discuss the importance of collaboration and synergy between the political executive and the civil service machinery for effective service delivery in Edo State.

“This expanded breakfast meeting is a testament to our shared commitment to harness our collective strengths and expertise to deliver impactful results.”

Going further, he stated, “The interface between the political executives and the civil service is critical to achieving our goals.

“While the political class provides the will, vision, and direction, the civil service provides the institutional memory, strength, expertise, and implementation capacity.

“Let us leverage each other’s strengths, experiences, and skills to drive progress and prosperity in Edo State. Let us work together to identify and address bottlenecks, streamline processes, and enhance productivity.”

He assured them of the government’s necessary support and the enabling environment for them to excel.

On his part, the state’s Head of Service, Dr. Anthony Okungbowa, thanked Governor Monday Okpebholo for his continuous support for the state’s civil service.

He said the meeting provided an avenue for dialogue and an opportunity to identify strengths and weaknesses of both sides.

Okungbowa listed three administrative strategies the state civil service is deploying to ensure effectiveness.

“Directorate of research and policy, channelled towards building a data and evidence-based administration; Mentorship, meant to build a string of competent civil servants in an unbroken projection of authority to help manage the workforce, managing their roles effectively.

“Success without a successor is a failure. We need intentional mentorship, which is role and rule-enabled.”
He said the service has introduced several awards to enhance workforce productivity.