State House Perm Sec Urges Public Servants to Uphold Professionalism
Abuja, Nigeria
The Permanent Secretary, State House, Temitope Fashedemi, has called on public servants to uphold a culture of excellence, professionalism, and accountability in service delivery, stressing that such values remain critical to effective governance.
Fashedemi made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at the 2025 State House Ministerial Rewards and Recognition Ceremony, organised to honour outstanding contributions by staff across various departments.
Represented at the event by Adenike Akintola, Director of Internal Audit, the Permanent Secretary welcomed participants and commended staff for their dedication and commitment to duty.
“I warmly welcome you all to this remarkable occasion as we gather to celebrate excellence, dedication and outstanding achievement. Today’s ceremony is about recognising individuals whose hard work has contributed significantly to the success of the State House and public service,” he stated.
Fashedemi emphasized that excellence in public service is not optional but a responsibility, noting that every decision and action taken by public officials has direct implications for governance outcomes.
“In public service, excellence is not merely a goal, it is a responsibility, as every task and decision has direct consequences,” he added.
He congratulated the awardees, describing them as role models whose performance sets a benchmark for others within the system, and urged them to remain steadfast in their commitment to service.
The Permanent Secretary also commended the organisers of the event, including the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, State House management, and members of the award committee, for successfully hosting the ceremony, which had been rescheduled from 2025 due to unforeseen official exigencies.
A total of seven awardees, drawn from 15 departments, were recognised with plaques, commendation letters, and cash prizes for their exceptional service.
Among the honourees were Agbor Ebuta of the State House Medical Centre, commended for his proactiveness in saving the life of a six-month-old baby; Isah Mohammed from the Transport Department; and Gabriel Jagaban from the Office of the Permanent Secretary.
Other recipients included the ICT Department for innovation, the Squash Team from the Sports Unit for their performance at the Federal Public Service Games, Akanu Oluwagbenga of the Pension Unit for reform initiatives, and Seidu Bello for his humanitarian impact.
Responding on behalf of the awardees, Dr. Bello expressed appreciation to management for the recognition, describing it as both motivating and a call to greater responsibility.
“Being selected among many staff for this honour is a great privilege, and we sincerely appreciate the management for finding us worthy,” he said.
He noted that the recognition would inspire improved productivity and encourage others to strive for excellence, while also commending the revival of the awards programme as a morale booster for staff.
Reflecting on his decades-long career, Bello described the honour as particularly significant after over 30 years in service, highlighting the cooperative society he founded as a lasting legacy of impact.
The ceremony, attended by staff across departments, was widely praised as a timely initiative to reinforce excellence, dedication, and institutional performance within the public service.
— Report by Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director (Information & Public Relations)
