CHIGOZIE AMADI
Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, yesterday, sworn in four new Permanent Secretaries in the state’s civil service with a charge to ensure they continue to exhibit transparency, integrity, and prudence in the discharge of their duty.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony in Ado-Ekiti, Governor Oyebanji urged the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries to foster an atmosphere of teamwork, confidence building, and collective responsibility, stressing the need for them to inspire others by being solution providers.
While urging the new appointees to embrace innovation and technology in their official duties, the governor challenged them to justify their appointments by giving their best at all times and ensuring they bring creativity, compassion, and vigour to bear on their job as permanent secretaries.
The governor called on all accounting officers across MDAs to re-double their efforts and increase the tempo of service delivery in order to achieve the shared prosperity agenda of his administration.
“I am so happy that today’s exercise is a product of a merit-based examination process and not as a result of man-know-man. I am also happy that people can become Permanent Secretaries without knowing anybody. I am so glad and proud of myself that this is happening,” he said.
The governor, who noted that the appointment is a continuation of the last competitive examinations for both the State and the Local Government held in 2023, urged them to see as “both managers of human and material resources of government.”
Speaking further he said: “ You must therefore, be committed to probity, transparency, and prudence, especially at a time like this. As human resource managers, you will be expected to foster an atmosphere of teamwork, confidence building, and collective responsibility.
“You should be a leader who inspires others and a solution provider. You must also embrace innovation and technology.
“In the next few months, this administration will be two years in office, we therefore need to run faster than we have been; accordingly, all permanent secretaries must double up and increase the tempo of service delivery to achieve the shared prosperity agenda of government as it relates to their ministries, departments and agencies,” he said.
The new permanent secretaries are: Mrs. Funke Ajibola, Mr Michael Boluade, Mr Foluso Akinwumi, and Mr Rotimi Akomolede.
In his welcome address, the Head of Service, Sunday Komolafe, expressed his appreciation to Governor Oyebanji for allowing him to serve. He also commended him for his various welfare packages for civil servants which have enlivened the lives of workers in the state as he lifted the bar of civil servants in the state.
Speaking on behalf of the new permanent secretaries, Mr Michael Boluade thanked the governor for the appointment, assuring that they will remain committed to developing the state as he commended the Governor for ensuring that all appointments during his administration were merit-based.
