A former Registrar of the Nigeria Defence Academy, Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe (retd.), has said the recently held retreat for government appointees in Edo State was designed to close critical gaps in governance and strengthen service delivery across the state.
Esekhaigbe, a resource person at the retreat, spoke to journalists in Benin on Sunday.
He said Governor Monday Okpebholo conceived the programme to improve communication strategies and clearly define working relationships among permanent secretaries, commissioners, and heads of departments and agencies.
The retired general, who is also a leader of the All Progressives Congress in the state, said effective governance requires a clear delineation of roles to ensure that every official is fully conversant with his or her responsibilities.
“The recently concluded retreat for political appointees by Governor Monday Okpebholo, held in Udomi, Esan Central Local Government Area, is an initiative designed to close critical gaps in governance and strengthen service delivery across the state.
“Governor Okpebholo conceived the programme to improve communication strategy and clearly define working relationships among permanent secretaries, commissioners, and heads of departments and agencies,” he said.
Esekhaigbe, who was a Defence Adviser to the Nigerian High Commission in London, said the retreat aligned with the governor’s SHINE agenda — an acronym for Security, Health, Infrastructure, Natural Resources, and Education — adding that the engagement helped to address governance gaps and block institutional lacunae.
He said carefully selected resource persons delivered sessions on key areas of governance, including a former Secretary to the State Government, Dr Ezekiel Gomos, who shared practical insights on relationships between commissioners, special advisers, and permanent secretaries for effective service delivery.
He added that Dr Otunba Showumi, an educationist, and other experts also spoke on education, policy formulation, and administration.
Esekhaigbe said his paper focused on work-life balance, stressing that productivity in public service depends on the ability of officials to balance work with family and personal commitments.
“You cannot work all the time and abandon family life. For you to be productive, you need to understand when to work and when to slow down so that productivity remains constant,” he said.
On the choice of Udomi as the retreat location, he described it as “a deliberate and symbolic decision by the governor to inspire communities and promote inclusiveness.”
“The exercise showed that hard work can produce individuals who aspire to greatness and return to contribute to their communities,” he said, adding that participants from the state capital also gained a better understanding of Edo State’s three senatorial zones.
He expressed confidence that similar retreats would be held in Edo North to further strengthen unity and governance cohesion.
Other speakers at the retreat who shared similar views included a member of the Edo State Audit Commission, Hajia Maimunah Momodu, and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Paul Ohonbamu, who emphasised the need for synergy, clear role definition, and policy coherence for effective governance in Edo State.
The PUNCH earlier reported that Governor Okpebholo charged civil and public service leaders in Edo State to embrace discipline and teamwork to achieve measurable results.
According to his Chief Press Secretary, Patrick Ebojele, the governor made the call on Monday at the opening of a three-day orientation and leadership retreat for top government officials at the Udomi Town Hall in Esan Central Local Government Area.
The governor said his administration is driven strictly by performance and accountability, noting that the gathering was not a social event but a serious engagement aimed at strengthening governance in the state.
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