Poised to strengthen the Imo State civil service for utmost productivity, the governor, Hope Uzodimma, has charged 24 newly sworn-in permanent secretaries to take responsibility and key into his administration’s Shared Prosperity Government for achieving a new Imo of everyone’s dream.
Governor Uzodimma gave the charge in his remarks at the New Exco Chambers, Government House, Owerri, during the swearing-in ceremony of the permanent secretaries.
The governor noted that their position represents the engine room of the government and the system and enjoined them to “live above board, be driven by the national interest, protect and defend Imo people as well as remain role models and lead by example.”
He reminded them that as Permanent Secretaries, they are truly the accounting officers in charge of their various ministries, departments, and agencies and urged them to make sacrifices to achieve the government’s mandate and vision.
“You must take decisions above ethnic, religious and primordial sentiments,” he stressed.
Governor Uzodimma urged the permanent secretaries to extend their loyalty to the people of Imo State, emphasising that they are responsible and answerable to a merit-driven system that produced them.
He further charged them to key into the Shared Prosperity Government of his administration, “focusing on the welfare and development of Imo State.”
The governor, who emphasised the importance of transparency, accountability, proven competence in management, and deep knowledge of the Civil Service, noted that the state is only desirous of people with vision who can bring prosperity and get Imo right on track.
Therefore, he enjoined them to join him in his vision of recovering a new Imo State of our collective dream.
Congratulating them on their well-deserved career progression and scaling through all the rigorous processes that brought them to the peak of the Civil Service, Governor Uzodimma stated that the State under his watch is doing its best to sanitise the judiciary and ensure it operates effectively.
Speaking on behalf of the newly sworn-in permanent secretaries, Dr Okeji Augustine Chidiebere eulogised the governor for the feat achieved by his administration in social and infrastructural development of the state.
He expressed joy that they were chosen for the position of trust to support upscale service delivery and provide the dividends of democracy to the Imo people. He assured them they would not fail but strive to keep pace with the governor’s vision.
Okeji also thanked the governor for confirming the appointment of the Head of Service, Mrs. Chikaodi Emenalor, who, he said, leads the new team of permanent secretaries in Imo State, determined to make a difference.
