Permanent Secretaries in the Rivers State Public Service have been urged to move beyond their traditional roles as custodians of government processes and become drivers of transformation and development.
The Deputy Governor of Rivers State, South-South Nigeria, Professor Ngozi Odu, said this while declaring open a three-day Reorientation and Capacity-Building Training Programme for Permanent Secretaries in the state public service.
Odu commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara for his continued commitment to strengthening the capacity of the state’s public service, noting that “the programme would enhance professionalism, improve efficiency and promote better service delivery.”
The Deputy Governor, who previously served as a Permanent Secretary, said she understood the responsibilities attached to the office, stressing that “Permanent Secretaries played a central role in translating government policies and programmes into practical outcomes.”
She described the theme of the training, “Permanent Secretaries: From Custodians of Process to Drivers of Transformation,” as timely and appropriate, given the changing demands of governance and public administration.
Odu urged the participants to uphold due process, professionalism and public service rules while embracing innovation, strategic thinking, accountability and results-oriented leadership.
She called on the Permanent Secretaries to take the training seriously and translate the knowledge and skills acquired into practical improvements across their respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The Deputy Governor also commended the Chartered Institute of Directors of Nigeria (CIoD) for partnering with the state government to deliver the capacity-building programme.
In her address, the Head of Service, Dr Inyingi Brown, stressed the importance of continuous capacity building, saying the programme was designed to reposition Permanent Secretaries as strategic leaders capable of driving innovation, implementing government policies effectively and delivering measurable results.
Brown noted that the changing nature of public administration required senior civil servants to remain adaptable and equipped with the knowledge and leadership skills needed to respond effectively to emerging challenges.
One of the participants, the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Civil Service Commission, James Enebeli, said “the training would enable Permanent Secretaries to drive government policies and transformation more effectively.”
Enebeli noted that government policies were dynamic and that public servants must continuously update their knowledge and skills to meet emerging demands.
He said the training provided an opportunity for participants to broaden their understanding of contemporary leadership, improve institutional performance and contribute more effectively to the development agenda of the Rivers State Government.
The programme is expected to strengthen strategic leadership within the state public service and equip Permanent Secretaries with practical tools to improve policy implementation, accountability and service delivery.
