The Enugu State Government has commenced a four-day onboarding retreat for Permanent Secretaries and the Auditor-General as part of efforts to strengthen public service delivery and entrench a results-driven governance culture.
The retreat, themed “Strategic Policy Alignment and Disruptive Innovation,” and organised by the Office of the Head of Service, was designed to equip top civil servants with the skills and mindset required to effectively implement the policy direction of Governor Peter Mbah’s administration.
Declaring the retreat open in Enugu, Governor Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said the programme was aimed at aligning the civil service, which he described as the “engine room” of government, with the administration’s reform agenda.
He noted that effective governance depends largely on a professional, innovative and accountable civil service capable of translating policy into measurable outcomes.
In a keynote presentation titled “A Deep Dive into the Vision and Governing Philosophy of My Administration,” the governor emphasised that governance in the 21st century must be driven by clarity of vision, data-informed decision-making and performance tracking.
He said government must evolve from being a passive regulator to an active enabler of development, particularly in the area of human capital, adding that policies must be executed with speed, discipline and precision.
According to him, the retreat was structured to familiarise participants with the administration’s governance philosophy, performance-monitoring framework and feedback-driven implementation process.
He stressed that Permanent Secretaries play a critical role in driving policy execution across ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), and must uphold the core values of transparency, accountability and inclusiveness.
The governor also underscored the importance of strategic planning, operational efficiency and meritocracy, noting that effective data collection and analysis remain central to informed decision-making.
He charged participants to develop policy action plans aimed at eliminating bureaucratic bottlenecks, cutting down red tape and improving service delivery across MDAs.
While disclosing that the retreat would culminate in actionable frameworks designed to replace inefficient processes with streamlined and transparent systems described as “green tape,” he reiterated that the administration was in a hurry to transform the state for the benefit of the people in line with its promises.
He expressed confidence that the initiative would reposition the Enugu State Civil Service as a modern, innovation-driven institution capable of sustaining reforms beyond the current administration.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Head of Service, Dr. Godwin Anigbo, described the retreat as a historic onboarding programme for senior public officers, stressing that there was no room for “business as usual.”
He said the state had embraced a disruptive innovation agenda that had moved beyond campaign promises to technology-driven policies rooted in sustainable development.
“The impact of this disruption is already being felt by our citizens, and it is our duty to ensure that the momentum is sustained and accelerated,” Anigbo said.
He urged participants to see themselves as drivers of the administration’s vision, warning that failure to align with reform objectives could stall progress.
“As Permanent Secretaries and the Auditor-General, you are expected to embody the pillars of transparency, accountability and inclusiveness. These values are central to the civil service reforms currently underway,” he added.
Anigbo emphasised that the retreat was not a ceremonial exercise but a working session aimed at equipping participants with practical tools to lead a modern workforce and chart a clear course for their respective MDAs.
He said the participants were expected to collectively develop a comprehensive Policy Action Plan before the end of the programme, focusing on dismantling bureaucratic obstacles and promoting efficient service delivery.
The Head of Service also disclosed that the state government had approved the establishment of a Public Service Training Institute, the first of its kind in the South-East, to drive continuous manpower development and policy research.
According to him, the institute would serve as a think tank to support government decision-making and align the state’s civil service with global best practices.
He added that the retreat reflects the administration’s commitment to building strong institutions and positioning Enugu as a sub-national hub for innovation, excellence and people-centred governance.
