By Muhyideen Jimoh
The Permanent Secretary of the State House, Mr Temitope Fashedemi, says the Presidency will institutionalise annual honours for retiring staff to recognise their years of service.
Fashedemi said this on Tuesday at a reception organised for retirees at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the initiative was aimed at ending the culture where public servants “end their careers in silence” without recognition.
“Your years of quiet service still count, and they will now be celebrated every year going forward,” he said.
The permanent secretary urged the retirees to remain connected to the State House, noting that their experience and institutional memory remain valuable.
He encouraged them to mentor serving officers and offer advice whenever required.
“Your service is valuable. Don’t be strangers. Reach out to your colleagues here whenever necessary,” he said.
Fashedemi said staff welfare, recognition and rewards had become priorities in public service management under ongoing reforms.
He decried the old practice where workers disappeared from duty rolls without appreciation or ceremony.
“We must mark exits with gratitude, not indifference.
“Somebody cannot spend 35 years of their life and just stop showing up as if nothing happened,” Fashedemi said.
He said celebrating excellence and service had now been codified in the public service.
“If we don’t celebrate ourselves, nobody will celebrate us,” he said.
The permanent secretary explained that the maiden edition was designed to accommodate as many retirees as possible, including those who left months earlier.
He said subsequent editions would be held routinely.
Fashedemi added that each retiree would receive a tangible gift in appreciation of service.
“We want to gather as many as possible to celebrate you, and we will ensure everyone goes home with a tangible gift,” he said.
He said the event aligns with the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2025, which prioritises staff welfare and structured recognition.
According to him, the reforms focus on safe workspaces, proper tools and systems that ensure commitment is noticed.
Speaking on behalf of the retirees, Dr Acho Terungwa urged Fashedemi to personally assess conditions at the State House Clinic.
He said staff of the Presidency did not enjoy special medical privileges despite public perception.
“Take a first-hand look at the State House Clinic. Go there. If you do that, you can take the State House to the next level at the end of the day,” he said.
Meanwhile, a representative of the Chairman, Medical Advisory Council, State House Medical Centre, Dr Ngozi Mmamelu, said the facility had moved beyond past challenges.
She said staff were now working as a united team to restore the centre’s reputation.
“We have moved on from that scenario, and everybody is working together to bring back the glory,” she said.
Mmamelu credited the support of the permanent secretary and senior officials for improved service standards and patient experience.
Retirees honoured at the event included directors, medical doctors, senior managers, accounts officers, technical staff, health workers and clinic personnel.
They included Osunkoya Omokehfe, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti, Acho Terungwa, Hassan Abdullahi, Olumide Fasoranti, Obe Bridget, Suleiman Rabi’u and Edwins Onwanyi, among others. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo
