Ogun and four other States of the federation have bagged awards of excellence at a dinner organised by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) in honour of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and Heads of Service of the 36 States and the FCT, held at the Fraser Suites, Abuja.

The other recipient States are Lagos and Osun in the South West, Abia in the South East and Akwa Ibom in the South South regions of Nigeria.

The National President of the CIPM, Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir said the Institute presented the Award of Excellence to the top five states in recognition of their outstanding achievements in membership drive for the Institute by

 encouraging Human Resources (HR) staff to join CIPM and enhance professional development in their States.

He said the States also encouraged professionalization of HR which  fosters a culture of professional HR management among members, and added that their efforts have in no small measures  promoted excellence and best practices in the Civil/Public Service among other things.

Gobir said the awardees deserve the honour and urged them not to relent in their efforts to take the Civil/Public Service to  greater heights.

The Ogun State Head of Service, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, in his remarks while receiving the award  said the State's deliberate efforts at promoting professionalism, discipline and ethical values within the Service are key factors for effective and efficient service delivery.

According to him, the award, "Special Recognition Award for Supporting CIPM Membership Drive in Ogun State Civil Service" is dedicated to all the hardworking Civil/Public Servants of the State who inspire daily progress through diligence and quiet impact, added that the award is a source of pride and honour to him personally and the State at large.

Represented by the Ogun State Liaison Officer, Abuja, Mr. Wasiu Owoyele, the Head of Service thanked the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for repositioning the State Public/Civil Service for efficient service delivery, and pointed out that capacity building and professional development of workers are very key in the scheme of things. 

He said the recent one week intensive training for Permanent Secretaries and top echelons of the Civil/Public Service by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies at the Oba (Dr) Sikiru Kayode Adetona Institute of Governance Studies, OOU Ago-Iwoye was quite unprecedented, and pointed out that various cadre of the workforce have continued to be rejigged to enhance excellence in the conduct of government business. 

Mr. Onasanya commended the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, for her visionary leadership and various ongoing efforts at transforming the Federal Civil Service and supporting States across the federation in same regard and noted that her emphasis on collective cooperation and innovation is driving reforms that are both strategic and sustainable.

He also described the Study Tour of the Singapore Civil Service by some Heads of Service, including that of Ogun State earlier this year as a bold step which will  continue to shape the trajectory of service innovation in the country

"I am most delighted and deeply honoured to be named as a recipient of this Public Service Award of Excellence. I remain immensely grateful to the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) for this thoughtful recognition and commend the Institute for hosting such a noble and unifying event. I must say, the Ogun State Branch of the Institute has remained a dependable partner in progress and a regular guest in my office. I am proud to always identify with their commitment to professionalism, human capital development and the advancement of ethical public service.

"This award is for the State and for our highly focused Governor and indeed to the entire Civil/Public Service of Ogun State and it is indeed a, source of pride and honour. In addition to the celebration of the progress and reforms within the Office of the Head of Service of Ogun State, it also reflects personal recognition of collective efforts of all bureaucrats in the Gateway State. These gains, I must admit, have been made seamlessly possible by the enabling environment and earnest support of our visionary Governor, His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, whose strong belief in a purposeful and empowered Public Service continues to guide our path" the HoS said.

While reeling out efforts at celebrating the workers on this year's Public Service Day to include a blend of spiritual reflection, health awareness, recreational engagement and intellectual discourse, Mr. Onasanya submitted that the celebration was impactful and widely embraced.

He listed some achievements to include timely and uninterrupted promotion of all eligible workers in the State, workers' housing, through inclusion in the State affordable housing scheme, capacity building, which has been consistently prioritised, as well as government sponsorship of seminars and conferences especially the largest HR event in Africa, the International Conference and Exhibition of the CIPM.

In her executive charge, the HCSF, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, appreciated the organisers of the award for the honour done her and all the Heads of Service of the 36 States of the Federation.

She urged the topmost echelons of the Civil Service to continue to sustain professionalism and commitment in their various States for efficient service delivery.