By Giovanni Emephia
AT a solemn but heartwarming ceremony, the mantle of administrative leadership today changed hands at the Delta State Ministry of Information as Mr. Lucky Omokri, JP, Functioning Permanent Secretary, officially bowed out of the civil service, handing over the baton to Mrs. Theresa Adiabua Oliko, the most senior career officer in the Ministry.
In his brief remarks at the occasion which was attended by Directors and their deputies, including other staff of the ministry, the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, commended Mr. Omokri for his role in stabilizing the ministry throughout his tenure as Fn. Permanent Secretary and congratulating him for attaining the retirement milestone in good health.
Dr. Osuoza advised the new Fn. PS to endeavour to embrace a leadership style that abhors toxicity in work relationships, noting that more could be achieved when everyone worked as a family, even as he further enjoined all staff to cooperate with her in ensuring that the objectives of the ministry were achieved.
In his remarks, the retiring Fn. Permanent Secretary, Mr. Lucky Omokri, expressed gratitude to God, the Delta Head of Service, Mr. Reginald Bayoko, and staff of the ministry for the privilege to have functioned as a Permanent Secretary, saying that the experience garnered throughout the period was immeasurable.
Mr. Omokri enjoined staff to put in their best in their duties, stressing that was the only way to excel in service.
According to him, the creation of additional departments in the ministry, the election of an information officer as chairman of the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, amongst other others, were positive outcomes in the ministry while he held sway.
In accepting the new responsibilities thrust on her, the new Fn. Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Theresa Oliko described Mr. Omokri as a mentor from whom she had learned much.
“It is with a great sense of duty that I accept, today, this huge responsibility of administering the ministry of Information in the capacity of Functioning Permanent Secretary, following the retirement from service of Mr. Lucky Omokri, JP.
“The Ministry of Information is a strategic organ of the Delta State Government saddled with the responsibility of managing government information, publicizing the policies and programmes of the state government using all available platforms at its disposal.
“It will, therefore, be my responsibility to rally all departments, staff and parastatals under the Ministry to support the Hon. Commissioner for Information, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, to publicize the successes of the MORE Agenda of the present administration in the state,” she said.
*Culled from FLASHPOINT News reporters
