Akeredolu urges senior civil servants to mentor junior officers

Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has urged senior civil servants, especially permanent secretaries, in the state to mentor officers under them so that their wealth of experience would not phase out after retirement.

Akeredolu gave the charge on Friday in Akure at the 2022 end-of-year get-together and send forth of retired permanent secretaries organised by the State Forum of Permanent Secretaries.

The governor, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Chief Olugbenga Ale, appreciated the efforts of civil servants in the development of the state.

“We want to implore you to take your role in mentoring our younger officers.

“When people are saying government is performing, it shows that the civil servants are performing, because there is nothing the political leadership can do without your support,” he said.

Akeredolu further urged them to continue to share their wealth of experience with those coming behind them so that the system would be sustained.

He said that his government would continue to prioritise the welfare of workers in the state so as to ensure effective service delivery.

The governor urged the retired permanent secretaries to always make themselves available whenever the system needed their wealth of experience.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Ondo State Forum of Permanent Secretaries, Mr Bunmi Alade, appreciated the governor for the payment of inherited and other outstanding salary arrears.

Alade said that the association was formed to cater for welfare and needs of its members, both serving and retired.

“I am glad to report that, to a very large extent, we are meeting the main goals and objectives of the association and praying to God that the expectations of members in terms of their request be met as soon as practicable, more also, that the burden of backlog of salary arrears has been reduced to the barest minimum,” he said.

The state Head of Service (HoS), Mr Kayode Ogundele, congratulated the retirees, saying that it showed the testimony of love and strength engendered by the forum.

The immediate past state Head of Service, Pastor Niran Adeyemo, on behalf of the retirees appreciated the forum.

Gifts were later presented to the retiring permanent secretaries and the immediate past HoS.