Governor Ododo, represented by Attorney General Muiz Yinus Abdullah, charges civil servants to lead Nigeria’s public sector innovation drive.
Kogi State has reaffirmed its commitment to innovation and technology-driven governance as the 2025 Civil Service Week came to a colorful close in Lokoja with lectures, sports, awards, and a gala night.
Governor Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, represented by the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Barrister. Muiz Yinus Abdullahi delivered the keynote at the Paper Presentation session held at the Glass House, Lokoja. He commended the Head of Civil Service, Dr. Pastor Elijah Evinemi, FCA, for championing a highly skilled and knowledge-driven civil service. The Governor’s representative stressed that digital transformation is no longer optional but a necessity, highlighting innovations such as the adoption of an electronic payment system to enhance efficiency in government operations.
He assured civil servants that their welfare remains a top priority, acknowledging requests and commitments made during the celebration, and promising to address them. The event also saw the formal unveiling of the vision and mission of the Kogi State Civil Service, signaling a renewed roadmap for reform.
In his remarks, Dr. Evinemi called on civil servants to embrace the theme “Igniting Digital Transformation” as a bold call to action rather than a ceremonial slogan. He praised the Governor for prompt payment of salaries, implementation of the new minimum wage, and continuous investment in digital innovations and capacity building. According to him, digital transformation is the new frontier for the state’s civil service, and as the “engine of governance,” civil servants must be knowledge- and skills-driven to deliver excellence. He advocated for the use of secure digital platforms for information dissemination and urged staff to continually upgrade their knowledge to set innovation standards.
Chairman of the Kogi State Civil Service Commission, Hon. Barr. Tanko outlined the commission’s functions and its collaboration with the Office of the Head of Service. He lauded the establishment of the Kogi State Information and Communication Technology Agency and appealed for the Governor’s continued support to meet the commission’s operational needs.
The week featured two major lectures: “Transforming Kogi Public Service for Sustainable Development” by Ambassador Enimola Martins, and “Digitalizing Governance: Leveraging Computer Algorithms to Drive Kogi State Civil Service Reforms” by Professor Sunday Eric Adewumi, FNCS. A panel discussion moderated by the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media engaged participants in an interactive question-and-answer session, with contributions from Professor Moses Atakpa, Dr. Akoji Ejigbo, Ambassador Martins, and other experts.
As part of the celebrations, a lively football match was held yesterday, adding sporting excitement to the official events.
The Civil Service Week concluded this evening with a glamorous award and gala night, where six outstanding civil servants were honored in various categories. Representing the Governor, Barr. Abdullahi urged civil servants to see themselves as one family bound by unity and love, to remain committed to service delivery, and to pursue academic and professional growth. He assured that the award recipients would also be recognized at the next State Awards ceremony.
The 2025 Civil Service Week, which began on August 8 and ended on August 12, was marked by intellectual engagement, sportsmanship, recognition of excellence, and a strong resolve to drive Kogi State’s public service into a new digital era.
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