Governor Oborevwori Inaugurates Oseji as Second Female Head of Service of Delta State

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, on Thursday, inaugurated Dr. Mrs. Minnie Oseji as the new Head of Service of Delta State, making her the second woman to occupy the position in the state’s history.

Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony held at Government House, Asaba, the Governor congratulated Dr. Oseji on her meritorious appointment, describing her as a quintessential civil servant – polite, dedicated, brilliant, and thorough. He noted that she brings to the office decades of exceptional stewardship, exemplary leadership, and an undiluted passion for excellence.

“Her strong work ethic, sincerity of purpose, and professionalism are, indeed, worthy of emulation, and my warm congratulations to Dr. Oseji on her meritorious appointment,” the Governor said.

Governor Oborevwori also commended the immediate past Head of Service, Mr. Reginald Bayoko, for his outstanding contributions to the state’s public service.

Charging the new Head of Service with a reform-driven mandate, the Governor urged her to reorient the civil workforce to tackle the persistent issues of absenteeism, lateness, unethical conduct, sharp practices, and a poor maintenance culture.

“This administration is determined to leave the legacy of an efficient, disciplined, and performance-driven civil service. I am proud of the progress we have made so far. But some challenges remain,” he said.

He stressed the need for civil servants to align with the government’s policy direction, provide honest and practical advice, and ensure effective execution of government programmes.

“The rank-and-file of the civil service are filled with qualified, intelligent people but, unfortunately, the problems of attitude and orientation remain a constant challenge,” he noted.

“As government workers, public interest must always be above personal interest. Also, building synergy and teamwork is critical to avoiding the ‘us and them’ mentality. Remember, teamwork is what makes the team work,” the Governor added.

In her remarks, Dr. Oseji expressed gratitude to Governor Oborevwori for the trust placed in her. She pledged to promote integrity, professionalism, and service excellence within the state’s civil service. She also vowed to key into the MORE Agenda of the current administration, and ensure that no one is left behind.

She emphasized her commitment to reorienting civil servants on financial regulations and core public service values.

Delta State Governor, Rt Hon Sheriff Oborevwori (left), congratulating Pastor Austin Igbine shortly after inaugurating him as the Chairman, Delta Printing and Publishing Cooperation (THE POINTER), Board in Asaba on Thursday.

Also at the event, Governor Oborevwori reaffirmed his administration’s unwavering commitment to a safe and secure Delta State. He noted that security agencies in the state were recording successes in tackling kidnapping and other violent crimes through proactive and strategic operations.

“As the Chief Security Officer of the State, I am aware of the several successes the security agencies have recorded – and keep making – in the fight against kidnapping and other forms of violent crimes through pre-emptive strikes and other combat operations,” he said.

He added that while it would be unwise to publicly disclose the strategies in use, citizens could rest assured that the government and its security partners were unrelenting in their efforts.

The Governor called on all residents to support security agencies by sharing timely and credible information. “Our law enforcement personnel are not clairvoyant; their success is largely dependent on information they receive from the public. So, if you see or hear something, please, say something,” he said.

In a related development, the Governor also inaugurated Pastor Austin Igbine as Chairman of the Board of Delta Printing and Publishing Company, publishers of The Pointer newspaper.

Governor Oborevwori urged Igbine to build on the achievements of his predecessor and take The Pointer to greater heights in editorial quality, production, advertising, marketing, circulation, and digital operations.