In a bid to promote professionalism and prevent favoritism or nepotism, The Edo State Head of Service, Dr. Anthony Okungbowa has called for the democratization of staff training and development opportunities, emphasizing the importance of discipline, fairness and transparency as the guiding principles of Public Administration.
Okungbowa made this demand during a strategic engagement with senior management officials, which held at the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy in Benin City, underscoring the critical role of effective coordination and teamwork in achieving the State Government’s reform agenda, while stressing that synergy among key officers remained vital for seamless service delivery.
He therefore, called on Permanent Secretaries (PS), Directors of Shared Services (DSS), and Directors of Finance and Accounts (DFAs) across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to strengthen collaboration and communication for improved efficiency in the State’s Public Service.
According to the Head of Service, “Our collective success depends on how well we communicate, collaborate and uphold the ethics of the Service. Every Permanent Secretary, DSS and DFA must take ownership of their respective establishments and ensure that internal communication flows freely across all Departments. The perception of the Public Service depends largely on how we conduct ourselves and manage our institutions”. He emphasized the need for prudent management of government resources and urged Civil Servants to be responsible stewards of public funds.
The Head of Service further reminded officers that the Civil Service is a regimented institution governed by clear rules of engagement, cautioning against shielding wrongdoing or handling issues informally and stressed that all complaints and disciplinary matters must follow due process. He added that any attempt to circumvent these processes undermines accountability.
