Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki has emphasized that Nigeria’s vision of rebuilding the nation and achieving progress and prosperity can be realized by recruiting the best talents into the civil and public service.
He made this assertion during a strategy retreat for the Heads of Service of Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, and Delta States, collectively known as the BRACED Commission.
The event was held at the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy in Benin City, Edo State.
As Chairman of the BRACED Commission, Obaseki inaugurated the two-day retreat, aimed at fostering an efficient and effective public service in the region. He recalled his experiences during his final year at the University of Ibadan when the Federal Civil Service and various state civil services actively recruited the best graduates, which contributed to the effectiveness of the public service.
Obaseki remarked, “In my final year at the University of Ibadan, the Federal Civil Service and civil service from other States come to the institution to hire the best. This was why the public and civil service worked because it had very good quality people.
“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. There is no shortcut to it and for the best to come and work for you, you must treat them well, pay them as much as they will get outside if they work for other companies or institutions.”
The governor highlighted the importance of proper treatment and respect for public servants, stating, “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 also outlined his administration’s roadmap, which includes six thematic pillars designed to address the state’s challenges. Obaseki noted that despite inheriting a system plagued by institutional collapse and disorder, his government tackled these issues head-on instead of complaining.
Obaseki added, “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.”
The guest lecturer, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, praised Governor Obaseki for his transformative reforms in the Edo State Civil and Public Service, which have significantly enhanced the state’s workforce. He stated, “We appreciate the governor for his various developmental strides in the Civil and Public Service in the State as what we have seen in the State is evidence of excellent governance of the State.”
Director General of the BRACED Commission, Ambassador Joe Keshi, also commended Obaseki for his vision and dedication to building robust institutions as a foundation for development.
