The Ogun State Government has directed the commencement of the 2025/2026 promotion exercise for public servants in the state, reaffirming its commitment to fairness, career progression and recognition of merit within the public service.
Governor Dapo Abiodun disclosed this yesterday while declaring open a public lecture organised as part of activities marking the 2026 Public Service Week at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta. The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said the exercise was part of the administration’s efforts to promote professionalism and reward dedication in the state public service.
Abiodun said diligence, competence and years of service must be appropriately recognised and rewarded, noting that his administration had, since inception, prioritised reforms aimed at strengthening the institutional capacity of the public service.
According to him, “Career progression is equally important. We have sustained training programmes, promotion exercises and professional development initiatives to ensure that merit, competence and dedication are appropriately recognised.”
The governor, who spoke on the theme of the 2026 Public Service Week, “Transforming the Public Service: Advancing Innovation, Accountability, Participation and Inclusion,” described the theme as timely, saying it provided an opportunity to reassess the structures, processes and culture of the state public service.
He said the theme aligned with his administration’s Building Our Future Together agenda and the ISEYA development pillars, adding that the public service remained the engine room of governance and an indispensable partner in translating government policies into programmes and services that improve the lives of citizens.
Abiodun commended public servants in the state for their professionalism and dedication, saying their contributions had helped drive achievements recorded by the administration in infrastructure, education, healthcare and economic development.
He added that his administration would continue to strengthen public institutions to ensure that they remained capable of sustaining continuity, stability and effective governance beyond the tenure of the present government.
Earlier, the Head of Service, Mr. Iskeel Olanrewaju Saka, said the public lecture provided an opportunity to celebrate the resilience, determination and commitment of public servants to the development of Ogun State.
Saka commended Abiodun for prioritising the welfare of workers, strengthening the civil service, promoting capacity development and embracing modern technology and targeted training programmes.
He urged public servants to renew their commitment to effective service delivery and collectively work towards building a more responsive and efficient public service.
Also speaking, the Commissioner for Urban and Physical Planning, Tpl. Tunji Odunlami, who spoke on behalf of the state commissioners, described the Ogun public service as one of the best in the country.
Odunlami said any politician who neglected the public service did so at his or her own peril, stressing that civil servants remained central to the effective implementation of government policies.
He commended the Head of Service for his efforts at repositioning and reorienting the public service, urging workers to remain committed and uphold the reputation of the state.
The Chairman of the Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Establishment and Public Service, Hon. Dr. Babatunde Tella, said the theme of the celebration was apt and relevant to the need for a stronger and more responsive civil service.
Tella pledged the continued support of the legislature towards improving the welfare and effectiveness of public servants, while urging workers to embrace innovation and remain worthy ambassadors of the state.
Speaking on the theme, the guest speaker, Mallam Hammed Ladan Jubril, said the public service gave every state a human face because it was where government policies met the realities of citizens.
He said, “Technology can enable institutions, but it cannot digitise itself and call it transformation.”
Jubril also stressed the need to address the trust deficit within the public service and design government policies that accommodate different categories of citizens, including young professionals, elderly pensioners and persons living with disabilities.
He noted that no institution could transform without investing in the capacity of its people, urging the government to make inclusion and participation central to public service reforms.
The State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Comrade Hammed Benco, commended the Federal and Ogun State governments for their efforts towards improving workers’ welfare, but called for greater attention to training and the working environment of public servants.
Benco also appealed to the state government to address concerns surrounding access to the contributory pension scheme and remember workers who had made sacrifices during their years in service.
In separate remarks, the President of the Association of Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries in Ogun State, Engr. Niyi Abiola, and a former Head of Service, Princess Iyabo Odulate, described the public service as the engine room of government.
They commended the state’s public servants for their contributions to Ogun’s development and pledged the association’s continued partnership with serving civil servants.
The event featured a public lecture, panel discussion and cultural performance by the Ogun State Cultural Troupe.
