In line with its commitment at ensuring fairness and career progression in its State public service, the Ogun State Government, led by Prince Dapo Abiodun, has directed the commencement of the Year 2025/2026 promotion exercise.

Governor Abiodun made the disclosure at the Public Lecture to mark the year 2026 Public Service week, with the theme: ‘Transforming the Public Service: Advancing Innovation, Accountability, Participation and Inclusion', at the Cultural Center, Kuto, Abeokuta.

Represented by his Deputy, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, Gov. Abiodun, noted that diligence, competence and years of service must be appropriately recognised and rewarded as and when due, adding that since the inception of this administration, priority had been given to reforms that had strengthened the institutional capacity of the Public Service and created an environment that promoted efficiency, integrity and innovation.

"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," he said.

While acknowledging the Head of Service for the success of this year's celebration, he informed that this year’s theme was both timely and compelling as it called on Government to re-examine the structures, processes and culture of service and aligned this with his Administration’s vision under the 'Building Our Future Together' Agenda and the 'ISEYA' development pillars.

He described the Public Service as the engine room of governance and indispensable partners in the work of his Administration and appreciated them for consistently demonstrating professionalism and dedication in responding to evolving challenges, saying they ensured that government policies were translated from documents into programmes and services that touched lives and communities.

The Governor who listed the achievements of his administration to include; achievements in infrastructure, education, healthcare and economic development, construction and industrial expansion to educational reforms and healthcare delivery, promised that his government would leave behind institutions capable of sustaining continuity, stability and effective governance long after its tenure.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Ogun State Head of Service, Mr. Olanrewaju Saka, said the symposium had provided a unique opportunity to celebrate the resilience, determination and unwavering commitment of public servants toward the growth of Public Service and the State at large, noting that Ogun State had unshakable civil servants.

While applauding Governor Dapo Abiodun for his purposeful leadership, with direct prioritisation of the welfare of civil servants, his continued chart to a progressive path, continuous strengthening and repositioning of civil service, sustained capacity and the implementation of targeted training programmes, the Hos noted that Ogun Public Service remained strong and indivisible, while he further enjoined public servants to collectively renew their commitment to improving civil service.

Speaking on behalf of the State Commissioners, Ogun State Commissioner for Urban and physical planning, Tpl. Tunji Odunlami, noted that any politicians who sidelined the public service would be waiting for an unsavoury result, ranking Ogun Public Service and Servants as one of the best in the country, also commended the Head of Service for the reorientation of public service and urged public servants to continue to be the shining light as the rewards would come one day.

Also Chairman, Ogun State House Committee on Establishment and Public service, Hon.  Babatunde Tella, said this year's theme was not only apt and timely as it also reinforced shared commitment to building a robust civil service and improving public servants, pledging the House continued support towards a robust and enhanced public and civil servants, urging them to continuously be innovative, be a worthy ambassadors of Ogun State public service and work towards the growth of public service.

Speaking on the theme, Transforming the Public Service: advancing innovations, accountability, participation and inclusion, the guest speaker, Mallam Hammed Gobir, stated that the public service gives every States human face as where policies meet real life, adding that as Government brings idea, public service shows experience.

           He also stated that, while Innovation was the courage to improve on what people had learnt to tolerate, saying that public servants possessed trust deficit which must be taken seriously.

‘’A functioning public service strengthens the institutions between the government and public service. We need public servants who understand public service without being a slave to it. I must commend Ogun State for recognising participation through its policies because its current architecture places a recognition on education, health, Agriculture, security and infrastructures," he said.

He stressed the need to design public service for the young professionals and the elderly pensioner, for those with smart phones and those without, asking decision makers to design policies for those with disability and not for only able human beings, as no institutions could transform without the capacity of it people.

The State Chairman of Trade Union Congress, Comrade Hammed Benco, said the need to commend the present administration in Nigeria for Civil servant welfare and the need to improve on training of public servants, saying public servants in Ogun were yet to access the contributory pension, urging government to improve on workers working environment.

In their seperate remarks President, of retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries in Ogun State Engr. Niyi Abiola and former Head of Service in Ogun, Princess Iyabo Odulate, described public service as engine room of government, saying that the rapid progress of Ogun public service could not be over emphasised, while appreciating the 21st Head of service for the role in advancing the public service.

The duo, expressed the association continued partnership with the State public servants and urged them to be hard-working, resilient and continually ready to serve the government with the best of their knowledge and ability.

Highlight of the event was the public lecture, panel session as well as cultural performance by the State cultural troupe.