The Abia State Leadership Academy has hosted an Executive Education Series for political appointees of the state government, focusing on strengthening governance, ethical leadership and public service delivery.
The event with the theme, “Strengthening Governance, Ethical Leadership and Public Service Delivery” which is part of activities marking the 35th anniversary of the creation of the State, took place at the Micheal Okpara Auditorium, Umuahia.
The programme also laid emphasis on competent leadership, institutional capacity, effective policy implementation and commendation of the developmental template of the Governor Otti’s administration.
Speaking at the event, the Governor,Dr Alex Otti, said his administration has made merit, competence and integrity central to the recruitment and appointment of public officials, adding that political connections no longer determine access to positions in the state’s civil service.
The Governor while noting that personal relationships no longer influence appointments and recruitment in the state,said his administration has introduced a competitive process for appointing Permanent Secretaries and other positions of trust, citing the appointment of the state Head of Service, Mr Benson Ojeikere, an indigene of Edo State as a typical example of the new Abia anchored on merit.
The governor stressed that sustainable development required a public service built around competence, integrity and proven capacity, adding that the quality of people entrusted with public responsibilities ultimately determine the effectiveness of government.
In his speech, the guest speaker, former Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development and former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Chief Osita Chidioka, while highlighting key lessons from the governance experiences of China, Britain, Singapore, Rwanda and Nigeria noted that political vision alone could not deliver development without a public administration capable of translating policies into measurable results.
He therefore challenged political appointees to look beyond their tenure by creating systems, procedures and standards that could outlive their tenure, urging public officials to embed successful reforms in government rules, procedures, performance systems and conditions of service.
The guest Speaker commended the Abia Leadership Academy for its efforts to identify and prepare young people across the state’s 17 local government areas for future leadership responsibilities, insisting that the academy’s ultimate success should be measured by the quality of leaders and institutions it produces over time.
