The Permanent Secretary, State House, Temitope Fashedemi, has urged staff to uphold a culture of excellence and professionalism in service delivery, stressing the need to set high standards in the public service.
Fashedemi made the call on Wednesday in Abuja during the 2025 State House Ministerial Rewards and Recognition Ceremony, held to honour outstanding staff contributions.
Represented by the Director of Internal Audit, Adenike Akintola, the Permanent Secretary commended staff for their dedication and commitment to duty.
“I warmly welcome you all to this remarkable occasion as we gather to celebrate excellence, dedication and outstanding achievement. Today’s ceremony is about recognising individuals whose hard work has contributed significantly to the success of the State House and public service,” he said.
He emphasised that excellence in public service is a responsibility rather than a choice, noting that every action and decision has direct consequences on governance outcomes.
“In public service, excellence is not merely a goal; it is a responsibility, as every task and decision has direct consequences,” he added.
Fashedemi congratulated the awardees, describing them as role models whose performance sets a benchmark for others, and urged them to remain committed to higher standards in their duties.
A total of seven awardees drawn from 15 departments received plaques, commendation letters, and cash gifts for outstanding performance.
Among the recipients were Dr. Agbor Ebuta of the State House Medical Centre, recognised for his role in saving a six-month-old baby; Mr. Isah Mohammed of the Transport Department; and Mr. Gabriel Jagaban from the Office of the Permanent Secretary.
Others honoured included the ICT Department for innovation, the Squash Team from the Sports Unit for their performance at the Federal Public Service Games (FEPSGA), Mr. Akanu Oluwagbenga of the Pension Unit for reform initiatives, and Dr. Seidu Bello, a dental surgeon, for his humanitarian contributions.
The Permanent Secretary also commended the organisers, including the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and members of the award committee, for successfully hosting the event, which had been rescheduled due to unforeseen circumstances.
Responding on behalf of the awardees, Dr. Seidu Bello expressed appreciation to the management, describing the recognition as both motivating and a call to greater responsibility.
“Being selected among many staff for this honour is a great privilege, and we sincerely appreciate the management for finding us worthy,” Bello said.
He noted that the award would inspire increased productivity and encourage other staff to strive for excellence, while urging recipients to uphold higher standards as role models.
“When you are honoured, it means more is expected of you, as all eyes are now on your conduct and performance,” he said.
Bello also described the recognition as significant, reflecting on his over 30 years of service and highlighting the cooperative society he founded as part of his legacy.
The ceremony was attended by staff across departments, many of whom expressed satisfaction with the revival of the recognition initiative.
