Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, on Friday swore in 20 permanent secretaries, including the state’s first visually impaired permanent secretary, Melody Omosah, describing the appointments as a milestone for inclusivity and merit-based public service.
The swearing-in ceremony, held at the Festival Hall of the Government House in Benin City, also saw the inauguration of two commissioners and seven members of the Governing Council of the Edo State College of Health Sciences and Technology.
Speaking at the event on Friday, Governor Okpebholo said the appointments followed a transparent and competitive selection process in which only the most qualified candidates emerged.
“Today is a special day for all of you who have reached the pinnacle of your civil service careers. About 250 officers sat for the examination. I met with 25 candidates, but only 20 were successful,” the governor said.
He said the exercise reflected his administration’s commitment to rewarding excellence rather than political patronage, noting that the Head of Service, Dr. Anthony Okungbowa, had confirmed the competence of the newly appointed permanent secretaries.
“I congratulate you on this achievement. The Head of Service told me he had interacted with the permanent secretaries and found them to be highly competent. That shows the process was based on merit,” Okpebholo added.
The governor also cautioned the new permanent secretaries against acting on unofficial directives purportedly issued in his name, stressing that due process would remain a guiding principle of his administration.
“This administration believes in due process. Be careful not to act on claims that ‘the governor said so.’ Many statements are falsely attributed to me.
“If you are uncertain about any directive, seek clarification from me. Where that is not possible, channel your concerns through the Head of Service, who will bring them to my attention,” he said.
Okpebholo further assured members of the Igbo community and other ethnic groups of equal opportunities in his administration, saying appointments would continue to be based on merit rather than ethnicity.
“I congratulate my Igbo brothers. There is no discrimination in Edo. We are building an inclusive government, and there will be more opportunities for all groups in due course,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the newly appointed permanent secretaries, Omosah thanked the governor for the confidence reposed in them and pledged their commitment to advancing the administration’s development agenda.
“We are grateful to the governor for finding us worthy of this appointment. We will work closely with you, the Head of Service and our political leaders to ensure the successful implementation of your administration’s policies and programmes across the state,” he said.
Also speaking after his inauguration, the newly sworn-in Commissioner, Mr. Martin Oli, described the appointments as evidence of the governor’s commitment to competence and inclusiveness.
“The governor does not consider tribe or place of origin when making appointments. His criteria are competence, integrity and capacity. Those are the qualities he looks for,” Oli said.
The appointment of Omosah as Edo State’s first visually impaired permanent secretary marks a significant milestone for disability inclusion in the state’s public service and comes as the Okpebholo administration says it is pursuing reforms aimed at strengthening professionalism and meritocracy in governance.
