From Moshood Karim
Benin City– The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has emphasized that the nation’s progress and prosperity hinge on attracting the best talent to the civil and public service.
This declaration was made at the opening ceremony of the BRACED Commission Strategy Retreat for heads of civil service from Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, and Delta states. The event took place on Wednesday at the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy in Benin City.
Governor Obaseki, who chairs the BRACED Commission, highlighted the critical need to reform bureaucracy in public service to support national development. He stated that the retreat aims to foster excellence in both public and private sectors, equipping participants with the skills necessary to formulate an action plan for the advancement of the South-South region.
In his address, Obaseki recounted the recruitment practices from his university days at the University of Ibadan, where the Federal Civil Service and other state services actively sought out top graduates. He pointed out that such practices ensured the civil service was staffed with highly qualified individuals, a standard he believes is essential for Nigeria’s development.
“If we must have a public and civil service that works and are going to rebuild Nigeria, then the best must be attracted to come back to work in the public and civil service,” Obaseki asserted. He underscored the importance of treating civil servants well and compensating them competitively to attract and retain top talent.
Governor Obaseki further emphasized the significance of capacity building and proper personnel management within the civil service. “If you want the service and the bureaucracy to work, you must treat the people well, respect them, tell them what to do and if they don’t know, teach them what to do,” he stated.
He outlined his administration’s strategic approach to governance, which includes automating processes, motivating civil servants for high performance, enhancing training programs, and improving work environments.
“We promised automated processes and workflow, to motivate our civil service for high performance, to rebuild the capacity of public servants through training, to revamp the work environment of public servants. These we have achieved,” Obaseki noted.
Prof. Tunji Olaopa, Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, delivered a lecture titled “Strategic Leadership in Civil and Public Service: Challenges, Opportunities and Future Prospects.” He praised Governor Obaseki’s reforms in the Edo State Civil and Public Service, acknowledging the positive transformation of the state’s workforce. Prof. Olaopa urged the adoption of innovative practices over traditional methods in managing the civil service.
In a welcome speech, the State Head of Service, Anthony Okungbowa, said the retreat aims to find solutions to some of the challenges in the civil service in South-south State.
Uptown Press reports that, the three-day strategy retreat aims to recreate an efficient and effective public service trajectory in the South-South region, addressing the critical question of rebuilding Nigeria through robust institutions and a streamlined bureaucracy.
