Aiyedatiwa to Civil Servants: Deliver Measurable Public Service Reforms

​AKURE — Ondo State Governor, Hon. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has challenged the state’s workforce to champion accountability, professionalism, and innovation, stressing that the administration’s policy framework must directly translate to visible and measurable improvements in citizens’ everyday lives.

​The Governor made this call at the grand finale of the 2026 Public Service Week and Public Service Lecture held at the International Centre for Culture and Events (The Dome) in Akure. Centered around the theme, “Harnessing Public Service to Promote Good Governance,” the event brought together top government functionaries, labour leaders, and retired civil servants.

​Prioritizing Workforce Welfare and Productivity

​Reaffirming his administration’s unalloyed commitment to the state’s workforce, Governor Aiyedatiwa noted that effective policy execution relies heavily on a motivated and well-supported public service. He highlighted several key welfare interventions, including prompt salary payments, regular career promotions backed by financial benefits, and the elevation of qualified officers into strategic accounting officer positions.

​The Governor also announced the immediate authorization for the payment of the 2026 leave bonus to both state and local government workers, alongside updates on ongoing financial adjustments.

• ​Retirement Benefits: Disclosed that gratuity arrears up to 2020 have been fully cleared, with remaining historical obligations to be cleared progressively based on resource availability.
• ​Loans and Allowances: Noted the comprehensive review of car loans, housing loans, and duty tour allowances.
• ​Healthcare & Mobility: Pointed to the Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS) protecting workers and their dependents, alongside ongoing plans to roll out compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered mass transit buses to ease commuting burdens for civil servants.

​To bridge critical manpower gaps, the Governor stated that his administration has successfully recruited over 2,000 teachers for primary and secondary schools, alongside approximately 3,323 medical professionals, including doctors and nurses.

ADVERTISEMENT

​During the ceremony, Governor Aiyedatiwa was honored with an Award of Excellence in Public Service and announced that special recognition would soon be extended to exceptional serving and retired personnel, ministries, and ad-hoc teams.

​A Call for Administrative Overhaul

​Earlier in his welcome address, the Head of Service, Chief Segun Odusanya, urged workers to place transparency, adherence to the rule of law, and citizen-focused service delivery at the core of their duties. Odusanya advocated for the total dismantling of red tape, accelerated digital transformation across ministries, and enhanced collaboration to build a future-ready civil service.

​Echoing similar sentiments, the chairman of the occasion and former Head of Service, Mr. Akin Adaramola, implored public servants to maintain unwavering integrity, impartiality, and a spirit of selfless service.

​Delivering the keynote lecture, retired Federal Permanent Secretary Ambassador Sulaiman presented a blueprint for a comprehensive five-year institutional reform program. He emphasized that the true measure of public service transformation should not be counted by the volume of policies drafted, but by the tangible, lasting benefits delivered directly to the populace.