Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has stated that the public sector is essential for national development, governance, and the delivery of high-quality public services.
Prof. Osinbajo made the remarks on Monday at the opening of a multi-billion-naira civil service secretariat building in Asaba, Delta State’s capital, which was named after Prof. Chike Edozien, the Asagba of Asaba (traditional ruler of Asaba).
The Vice President, who was welcomed by Delta State Governor Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa at the Asaba airport, said at the secretariat that the commissioning was historic, “because the seat of the civil service of any arm of government anywhere in the world is usually one of the major monuments enshrining not just the power, but also the splendour of the authority of government.”
The civil service, according to the Vice President, is crucial in governance, as optimal public service delivery necessitates an efficient and effective civil service.
“Such a public service requires training, and capacity building but also workspaces that are well equipped, conducive, and inspirational. We have heard already how inspired the public servants today are and they are even spending long hours in the office. This is very commendable indeed. Public servants require environments that bring out the best in them. This secretariat complex will provide such an environment,” he stated.
The VP, who hailed the new secretariat as “state-of-the-art, functional, and suitable,” said it was right that the state chose to immortalize the name of one of Delta State’s and Nigeria’s most renowned sons.
Prof. Edozien’s recognition by the Delta State government, he added, will serve as an inspiration and a reminder of the level of excellence required in public service.
According to VP Osinbajo, “in naming this building after His Royal Majesty, you are not just celebrating a highly respected and deserving son of Delta State and Nigeria, you are also signaling the sort of excellence in public service that we wish to see incubated within this complex.
“But perhaps more importantly, you are saying to a generation, not old enough to be employed in the civil service today, that integrity, diligence, and service to community and country still pay. It is my hope that this place will, like the eminent personage after whom it is named, be a symbol of unity and distinction.”
Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, the Governor of Delta State, was praised by the Vice President for understanding the importance of the public sector.
He went on to say that the state governor deserved praise for being able to fund the worthwhile initiative “despite dwindling revenue receipts and severe resource constraints across all levels of government in our country.”
