Former President, Doctor Goodluck Jonathan, has called for the harmonization of structures and salaries across the Federal and State civil services in the country.
He made the call in Yenagoa during the foundation-laying and fund-raising ceremony for the Bayelsa State Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries’ Secretariat Complex.
The former President commended the retired permanent secretaries for the initiative, noting that the caliber of personnel in the Bayelsa State public service compares favorably to their counterparts at the federal level.
Doctor Goodluck Jonathan recalled how, during his tenure as Governor, he restructured the state civil service to introduce Grade Level 17 for Directors who previously retired on Level 16.
He emphasized that establishing a dedicated secretariat for the retired permanent secretaries would serve both retirees and the public, while making a strong case for uniform civil service structures nationwide.
Also, Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State represented by the Head of Service, Doctor Ebiye Sawyer, pledged government support for the project, praising the retired officials for their vision and dedication.
In an address of welcome address, the Chairman of the Association, King Collins Ebi Daniel, described the proposed complex as an institutional edifice designed to embody the legacy of public service.
He explained that the center will house administrative offices, event halls, conference rooms, and recreational facilities.
King Daniel explained that the Bayelsa State Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries’ Secretariat Complex is expected to cost N500m and completed in two years’ time.
Other dignitaries at the event—including the Chairman of the occasion, Professor Imiri, a former Director General of the Nigerian Law School, Yenagoa Campus and the Chief Launcher, Chief Maxwell Oko—pledged their support, urging the association to leverage the facility as a policy institute for state and national development.
Also at the event were a traditional ruler King Amalate Turner and the Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Senator Benson Agadaga.
High points of the ceremony included the formal foundation laying by Doctor Jonathan, a fund-raising session, and a cultural presentation by the Bayelsa State Council for Arts and Culture.