Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan paid glowing tributes to Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State on Wednesday for his drive for human capital development, specifically referencing the governor’s reforms in the state’s civil service.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Edo State Civil Service Secretariat Complex in Benin City, President Jonathan noted that while some other governors were busy breeding criminals for elections, Governor Obaseki concentrated his energy and resources on encouraging the best brains to join the state’s civil service through automatic employment for First Class graduates from any university in the country.
Jonathan emphasized that this positive move was worthy of emulation, as it would promote efficiency and ensure that the best human resources manage the various government ministries and departments.
He commended the policy of automatic employment, noting that “the automatic employment slots cut across all political divides,” and he urged all players in the political scene, especially other state governors, to emulate this approach as a mark of good leadership.
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President Jonathan also commended Governor Obaseki for improving the welfare of the state’s workers by providing a conducive working environment for civil servants in the state.
In his remarks, the former Chief of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan and former deputy governor of the state, Chief Mike Oghiadomhe, commended Governor Obaseki for his numerous achievements and prayed that God would give his successor the ability to build on his legacies.
Governor Godwin Obaseki mentioned that the Civil Service Secretariat Complex was the first place he visited when he assumed office as the governor of the state. He promised to revamp the complex to make it conducive for workers to carry out their day-to-day work, believing that a conducive working environment could lead to a productive workforce.
Earlier, Edo State Head of Service, Mr. Anthony Okungbowa, thanked the state governor for revolutionizing and digitalizing the state civil service. He noted that the governor had provided a conducive environment for state workers to be effective in their assignments, highlighting that Edo State is the only state paying its workers the highest minimum wage, offering automatic employment to First Class graduates of Edo origin from any university in the country.
Highlights of the event included the sod-turning ceremony for the President Goodluck Jonathan Hall within the secretariat complex and the planting of a commemorative tree by the ex-president.
