TELL Magazine

Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, is contemplating retaining the services of experienced retired civil servants who have added value to the civil service and contributed to the success of his transformational drive, albeit as consultants, in order to achieve his administration’s MEGA (Making Edo Great Again) agenda.

Governor Obaseki made this known on Thursday at the close of a two-day retreat for members of the state executive council, heads of ministries, departments, and agencies, MDAs, held at the John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy in Benin City, the state capital.

He particularly commended the contribution of Lucky Wasa, who retired September 13, as Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, to the success of his transformational drive. Regretting that Wasa was leaving the service at this time, Governor Obaseki stated that the state had hired new crops of civil servants, and would need the experience and knowledge of people like him to drive the needed change in the civil service.

According to him, “I hear one of our permanent secretaries is retiring today. It was mentioned to me by the Head of Service, Barrister Anthony Okungbowa that Mr. Lucky Wasa is leaving us. I said we have a challenge with human resources. For a long time, people were not hired into the services, and it has created gaps.

“I said to the Head of Service that there are few experienced, knowledgeable and quality persons who have retired from the service and we will consider giving them consultancy arrangements for about three years.

“This will enable them to put back the benefits, experience, and knowledge garnered over the years into the system, particularly now that we are recruiting and retraining new crops of civil servants, as some of these retired personnel have been used to drive our reform process”.

The governor said it would be a waste if his administration failed to utilise the experience and knowledge of these persons as such would give the civil service the opportunity to get the best.

On his part, Okungbowa commended Wasa for his enormous contributions to the transformation and growth of the state civil service.

The just retired permanent secretary, at various times in the course of his career in the civil service, served several military and civilian governors of the state. Due to his diligence, professionalism, and forthrightness, he was retained by successive administrations after being first appointed by Col. John Ewerekumo Yeri as chief press secretary.

Wasa was to serve in the same capacity, the military administrations of Colonel Mohammed Abdu-Salam Onuka, Col. Bassey Asuquo, Group Captain Baba Adamu Iyam, Navy Captain Anthony Onyearugbulem, and the civilian administration of Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion.