We’ve recruited 4000 personnel, appointed 57 Permanent Secretary in 2 years – Aiyedatiwa

2026-03-06 - 20:37

—- Swears in new PS, urges excellence in service delivery By Dayo Johnson Akure Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State, has said that his administration has within two year in office recruited over 4,000 personnel and promoted 57 officers to the position of Permanent Secretary. Aiyedatiwa said this in Akure while swearing-in newly appointed Permanent Secretaries in the state civil service. He charged them to raise the standard of performance and strengthen service delivery in line with the administration’s development blueprint. The governor said his administration had continued to accord priority attention to the public service, stressing that regular promotions had been maintained with no outstanding salaries, promotions or allowances owed to workers. According to him the “state government had strengthened the workforce through the recruitment of over 4,000 personnel across teaching, medical, legal, agricultural, administrative, cultural and tax cadres. He explained that deserving officers were regularly elevated to the rank of accounting officers such as Permanent Secretaries, Tutors-General, General Managers and Project Managers whenever vacancies arose, as a strategy to boost morale and encourage career progression within the service. The Governor added that the state had sustained cordial labour-government relations through open dialogue and prompt handling of labour-related matters. He noted that the administration had continued to offset inherited gratuity liabilities at both state and local government levels while reiterating government’s commitment to clearing outstanding retirement benefits within the shortest possible time. While assuring that his administration would continue to prioritise capacity building for workers across the state, Aiyedatiwa said this was “the third of such elevation in the civil service since his assumption of office. He noted that within a span of two years, about 57 officers had been promoted to the position of Permanent Secretary. According to him “deserving officers were regularly elevated to the rank of accounting officers such as Permanent Secretaries, Tutors-General, General Managers and Project Managers whenever vacancies arose, as a strategy to boost morale and encourage career progression within the service. Governor Aiyedatiwa noted that their appointment of the new Permanent Secretaries represented government’s formal recognition and reward for their stewardship and urged them to justify the confidence reposed in them. He reminded them that their positions came with enormous responsibility and urged them to raise the bar of performance in furtherance of the administration’s commitment to translating its development blueprint, “OUR EASE,” into tangible benefits for the people. The governor added that the state had sustained cordial labour-government relations through open dialogue and prompt handling of labour-related matters. He noted that the administration had continued to offset inherited gratuity liabilities at both state and local government levels while reiterating government’s commitment to clearing outstanding retirement benefits within the shortest possible time. Stressing that the government remained committed to subsidising healthcare for serving and retired workers, the Governor assured that his administration would continue to prioritise capacity building for workers across the state. Earlier in his welcome address, the Head of Service of Ondo State, Mr Bayo Philip, charged the newly sworn in permanent secretaries to demonstrate diligence, commitment and loyalty in the discharge of their duties. Philip said their appointment marked the beginning of a new phase of responsibility and service to the state, urging them to justify the confidence reposed in them. He noted that the public service demanded greater industry and dedication from them, stressing that they must prove the system right for choosing them from among several qualified officers. According to him, the appointments covered both the state and local government services. The Head of Service also appreciated Governor Aiyedatiwa for his commitment to the development of the state bureaucracy, noting that the governor had continued to demonstrate confidence in the public service through policies and initiatives aimed at strengthening the system. Speaking on behalf of the newly sworn-in Permanent Secretaries, Mr. Steven Rotimi Aworere, lauded the governor for achieving what no predecessor had in the state. Aworere described the appointments as a call to greater responsibility, emphasising that they fully understood the weight of the duties entrusted to them.