The Governor of Abia State, His Excellency, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has applauded the immediate past Head of Service of Abia State, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Queen Obioma for her worthy srevices to the state as a Civil Servant and Head of Service of the State, describing her as being worthy of celebration.
Governor Otti made the declaration during a Send off Reception organised by the state government in honour of the Former number one Civil Servant, on Friday evening, 28 February, 2025, at the Banquet Hall of Government House Umuahia.
Governor Otti went back memory lane on how Dr. Obioma got appointed as Head of Service, explaining that it was purely based on merit after she emerged as the best performer in an exam Organised for the selection of Permanent Secretaries, expressing joy that she showed competence and capacity throughout the time of her service to justify the position.
According to the Governor ” She is worthy of being celebrated. She got the job on merit, and has contributed immensely to what we have today as Civil Service. Though her retirement is painful, but it is good she’s retiring in good health and still has a lot to contribute, because she doesn’t need to be the Head of Service to make such contributions. Again, if people don’t retire, others won’t have the opportunity to grow, but the most important thing is that the same process of excellence produced her successor, Mr. Benson Ojeikere from Edo State.
The Governor also thanked the husband of the celebrant, Deacon King Obioma for being a Pillar of Support to her wife, and wished them a continuous happy home.
The state chief executive reminded the attendees that the reception and celebration of the former HOS should also serve as a lesson to others, stating that if she had not done well, the celebration wouldn’t have taken place, and assured those present that anyone that doesn’t well in any capacity would be celebrated by the state.
Governor Otti further explained that the same blind process that produced Mr. Benson Ojeikere as the new Head of Service doesn’t care about where one comes from, but that what matters to his government and Abians is competence, capacity and meritocracy over mediocrity.
The number one citizen explained that Abians are known as competent and resilient people, citing Aba as an example of such resilience, and subsequently made strong case for Aba to be fixed, without which no real progress would be made.
Present at the reception were, the Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, the First Lady, Mrs. Priscilla Chidinma Otti, the Deputy Governor, Engr. Ikechukwu Emetu, Chief of Staff to the Governor, Pastor Caleb Ajagba, Head of Service, Mr. Benson Ojeikere, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, Commissioners, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants, Special Assistants, Heads of different MDAs, Permanent Secretaries and other government officials.
Ferdinand Ekeoma
Special Adviser to the Governor
(Media and Publicity)
March 1, 2025.
