BENIN CITY – The Edo State Head of Service (HOS), Dr. Anthony Okungbowa, has pledged full support to the newly inaugurated Civil Service Commission (CSC), urging synergy to drive reforms and reposition the state civil service for efficiency and discipline.
Leading a high-powered delegation to the commission’s headquarters in Benin City, Dr. Okungbowa congratulated the new commissioners, commending Governor Monday Okpebholo for what he described as a “meritorious selection” of seasoned professionals to oversee the commission’s affairs.
He noted that the absence of the commission for almost two years stalled reforms and created promotion backlogs dating as far back as 2021.
According to him, the governor’s directive to reduce reliance on consultants and empower civil servants to handle government functions directly has strengthened competence and intellectual capital within the service.
The HOS further praised the governor’s recruitment of 1,000 cleaners, all employed under the new N75,000 minimum wage, describing the civil service as “the brain box of governance.”
“With your team on board, we are confident of having a much more disciplined and productive service. Promotions are essentially your beat, and clearing arrears will restore confidence and morale across the service,” Dr. Okungbowa said.
“The service cannot function effectively without the commission, and we will work together with you because your success is our success.”
He highlighted ongoing reforms under the Edo Public Service Retooling and Enhancement Programme (Edo-PREP) recently approved by the governor, describing it as an ambitious strategy to build a self-reliant, innovative and future-ready service aligned with the governor’s SHINE agenda.
Responding, CSC Chairman, Mr. Oko-Ose Samuel Ozemhonyelea, said thatbthe commission has began addressing outstanding issues, including the backlog of promotions and disciplinary matters.
“Soon after the inauguration, we immediately commenced work on clearing the backlog. We carried out interviews of officers who sat for the promotion examination in January 2023, and next week, we will continue with others. We intend to maintain this pace until every case is resolved,” Ozemhonyelea said.
He stressed that the commission would strictly uphold the civil service rules, warning against sentimental recommendations.
“The civil service is a rule-based establishment. Apart from the military, I do not think there is any other institution that is more discipline-inclined.
“Bureaucracy is a government of rules, and sparing offenders only entrench impunity, which is too costly to tolerate,” he added.
The Chairman also emphasized alignment with the National Council of Establishments to ensure Edo State’s reforms fit within national frameworks, while supporting Edo-PREP as a strategy that could reposition the service.
On her part, the Director-General of JOOPSA, Mrs. Gina Otamere, underscored the importance of continuous training, stressing that career progression must be tied to courses under the Scheme of Service.
“Capacity building is non-negotiable. Training ensures productivity, and in line with reforms, every officer should sit for promotion examinations after completing requiretraining,” she said.
