Swearing-in: More Permanent Secretaries Will Still Be Elevated as Long as You Keep Me Here by the Grace of God — Aiyedatiwa
By Olusegun HOSEA, 6th March,2026
The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has assured civil servants in the state that more deserving officers would still be elevated to top administrative positions such as Permanent Secretary, Tutor-General, Auditor-General and Statistician-General during his administration.
Aiyedatiwa gave the assurance on Friday during the swearing-in ceremony of newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, the Statistician-General and the Auditor-General for Local Government held at the International Culture and Events Centre, popularly known as The Dome, in Akure.
The governor said the promotions were part of his administration’s commitment to strengthening the state’s bureaucracy and rewarding diligence within the civil service.
“Today is the third of its kind elevation of deserving officers of the civil service to the exalted position of Permanent Secretary,” he said.
“I was speaking with the Head of Service while the names of those elevated today were being called — 32. When added to the first 12 and another seven earlier appointed, that makes about 50-something within the space of about two years. Many more will still be elevated as long as you keep me here by the grace of God.”
The governor noted that the number of Permanent Secretaries appointed under his administration within the period surpassed the appointments made by some past governors during their four-year tenures.
He encouraged officers who were yet to be elevated not to lose hope, assuring them that opportunities would still come.
“For those who have not made the list, keep hope alive. I am still here,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa described the public service as a time-tested institution that drives the delivery of government policies and programmes, stressing that while governments change, the civil service remains the engine room of governance.
He congratulated the Ondo State Public Service on its 50th anniversary, describing the golden jubilee as a milestone worthy of celebration.
The governor also congratulated the newly sworn-in Permanent Secretaries and other accounting officers, noting that their elevation was a recognition of their diligence, discipline and dedication to service.
“You have distinguished yourselves through hard work, diligence and perseverance. Some of you have served in acting capacities for years without commensurate remuneration, yet you continued to give your best,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa, however, reminded the new appointees that their offices come with significant responsibilities and urged them to raise the standard of performance in their ministries, departments and agencies.
He charged them to ensure prudent management of the state’s limited resources while translating government policies into tangible benefits for the people.
“As accounting officers, you serve as the vital link between policy formulation and implementation. You must ensure effective coordination of activities in your respective MDAs and uphold transparency and accountability at all times,” the governor said.
He also advised them to demonstrate humane leadership, avoid harassment of subordinates, remain politically neutral and provide sound professional advice to government whenever necessary.
Reiterating his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare, Aiyedatiwa said the state government had maintained regular promotions, implemented the new minimum wage and recruited over 4,000 workers across several sectors including education, health, agriculture and administration.
The governor added that the government had also sustained cordial labour relations, continued payment of gratuities and remained committed to settling outstanding retirement benefits.
He warned that his administration would maintain zero tolerance for wastage of public resources or any form of misconduct in the public service.
“We shall keep recognising and rewarding excellence to motivate our workforce, but we will not hesitate to apply appropriate sanctions where acts of sabotage or misconduct are established,” he added.
