GOV AIYEDATIWA RECEIVES PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD, ASSURES WORKERS OF IMPROVED WELFARE
..says ‘OUR EASE’ agenda must deliver measurable improvements in public service
By The NewsPostage
Ondo State Governor, His Excellency, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has challenged public servants to embrace accountability, professionalism, discipline, diligence and innovation, insisting that the state’s OUR EASE agenda must deliver measurable improvements in the quality, speed, transparency and accessibility of public services.
Governor Aiyedatiwa gave the charge on Thursday at the 2026 Public Service Week and Public Service Lecture, held at the International Centre for Culture and Events, The Dome, Igbatoro Road, Akure, with the theme, “Harnessing Public Service to Promote Good Governance”.
The governor, who received an Award of Excellence in Public Service, described the public service as a strategic partner in governance and the principal implementer of government policies, saying the administration’s agenda must translate into tangible outcomes that improve citizens’ lives.
He thanked the state’s workforce for its contributions to development and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare, listing timely salary payments, regular promotions with financial benefits, the elevation of qualified officers to accounting officer positions and continuous training and retraining among its interventions.
He said the Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS) is supporting public servants and their dependants, with organised labour and retirees serving as partners in the initiative.
Governor Aiyedatiwa disclosed that his administration had cleared gratuity arrears up to 2020, adding that outstanding pension obligations and gratuities would be addressed progressively, subject to available resources and established procedures.
He also listed the review of car loans, housing loans and duty tour allowances among the government’s interventions, while disclosing that plans are being explored to provide compressed natural gas-powered buses for workers.
On manpower development, the governor said his administration had recruited more than 2,000 teachers for public primary and secondary schools and about 3,323 medical personnel, including doctors and nurses.
He announced plans to recognise serving and retired civil servants, individuals, organisations and ministries, departments and agencies that had demonstrated exceptional dedication and performance in their substantive positions or ad hoc assignments.
He urged public servants to uphold accountability, discipline, professionalism, innovation, diligence and courtesy, stressing that effective governance depends on a workforce committed to quality service delivery and sustaining public trust.
In his welcome address, the Head of Service, Mr Segun Odusanya, urged public servants to place accountability, professionalism and citizens’ welfare at the centre of their responsibilities.
Odusanya said transparency, efficiency and respect for the rule of law are essential to effective public administration, calling for the removal of bureaucratic bottlenecks, digital transformation and stronger collaboration among ministries, departments and agencies.
He advocated a results-oriented approach to make public institutions more responsive to citizens’ needs.
The Head of Service acknowledged the government’s interventions in workers’ welfare, including salary payments, recruitment, appointments to accounting officer positions, capacity development, support for retirees, payment of terminal examination fees for children in public primary and secondary schools and health insurance.
Odusanya thanked Governor Aiyedatiwa for his support for the public service.
The chairman of the occasion and former Head of Service, Mr Akin Adaramola, urged public servants to uphold integrity, merit, professionalism, impartiality and selfless service.
Delivering the event’s lecture, retired Federal Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Sulaiman, proposed a comprehensive five-year reform programme to transform the public service from a routine-driven bureaucracy into a modern, results-oriented institution.
He called for the modernisation of administrative structures, strategic deployment of personnel in line with institutional priorities, measures to address skills gaps and stronger collaboration across government institutions.
He said the success of public service reforms should be measured by the tangible benefits delivered to citizens rather than the number of policies introduced or institutions established.
In attendance were the Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti; Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; members of the State Executive Council; permanent secretaries; political appointees; traditional rulers and other dignitaries.
Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan,
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State.
October 15, 2026.
