The Administrative Officers’ Forum of the Delta State Civil Service has been lauded for sustaining its annual lecture series, which, according to the State Head of Service, Mr. Reginald Bayoko, has provided a platform for learning and development of officers in the cadre.
Mr. Bayoko gave the commendation while delivering his keynote address at the 2023 Lecture Series/interactive session organized by the Forum in Asaba on Wednesday.
According to him, the event had provided an opportunity to foster the exchange of ideas and experiences amongst members, stressing that administrative officers were pivotal and strategic in the civil service of the State.
“I commend the Forum for sustaining this tradition of intellectual discourse and capacity building, which has undoubtedly contributed to the enhancement of the quality and professionalism of administrative officers in the state,” Bayoko said.
Speaking on the distinct functions of the cadre, which encompass human resource management, policy formulation and implementation, budgeting and financial control, and general administration, Mr. Bayoko told the officers that they were expected to be versatile, competent, and adaptable to the diverse and dynamic challenges of the public service.
He described the theme of this year’s lecture, “The Expectation of the Political Class from the Administrative Officers’ Cadre in the Civil Service,” as timely and relevant, saying that it reflected the desire and commitment of the cadre to align with the vision and mission of the new administration.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Forum, Mr. Karo Ovemeso, in his welcome remarks, said that the quest for integrity and knowledge for service as encapsulated in the forum’s motto was non-negotiable.
While explaining the objective of the lecture series, Mr Ovemeso said that in view of the commencement of a new administration in the state, there was the need to refresh the minds of administrative officers with the ethos of the service as well as the expectations of the political class.
The chairman, while thanking the head of service, Mr Reginald Bayoko, and two former heads of service, Sir Okey Ofili and Sir Paul Evuarherhe, for gracing the event, explained that the desire of the founding fathers of the Forum was to organize intellectual activities such as induction seminars, periodic training, and retraining of its members to enhance their capacity for the task bestowed on them.
Delivering a paper on the theme of the lecture, a retired Permanent Secretary in the State and a former Senior Special Assistant on Civil Service Matters, Sir Emma Okafor, reminded the officers of their strategic position in the civil service, describing them as the “crowned prince” of the service.