Ogun Begins 2025/2026 Promotion Exercise, Abiodun Reaffirms Merit-Based Career Advancement for Workers

The Ogun State Government has announced the commencement of the 2025/2026 promotion exercise for public servants, reaffirming its commitment to rewarding diligence, competence, professionalism and years of dedicated service.

The announcement was made by Governor Dapo Abiodun during a public lecture organised as part of activities marking the 2026 Public Service Week in Ogun State.

The event, held at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, was organised around the theme: “Transforming the Public Service: Advancing Innovation, Accountability, Participation and Inclusion.”

Representing the Governor at the occasion, the Deputy Governor, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele, said the commencement of the promotion exercise was consistent with the administration’s determination to ensure fairness and provide opportunities for career advancement within the State Public Service.

According to the Governor, career progression remains an important component of an effective and motivated workforce, stressing that government had continued to invest in training, promotion exercises and professional development to ensure that workers’ efforts and competence were appropriately recognised.

“Career progression is equally important. We have sustained training programmes, promotion exercises and professional development initiatives to ensure that merit, competence and dedication are appropriately recognised,” Abiodun said.

The Governor explained that the policy was part of broader reforms introduced by his administration to strengthen the institutional capacity of the public service and create an environment where efficiency, integrity and innovation could thrive.

He noted that the 2026 Public Service Week theme was particularly relevant to the administration’s Building Our Future Together agenda and its ISEYA development pillars, urging public servants to embrace innovation, accountability and inclusiveness in the discharge of their responsibilities.

Abiodun described the public service as the “engine room of governance,” noting that civil servants remain indispensable partners in translating government policies and programmes into tangible services capable of improving the lives of citizens and communities.

He commended workers in the state for their professionalism and dedication, particularly in responding to the changing demands of governance.

The Governor also highlighted various areas in which his administration had recorded progress, including infrastructure, education, healthcare and economic development, saying the ultimate objective was to build institutions that would continue to deliver effective governance beyond the tenure of the present administration.

Earlier, the Ogun State Head of Service, Mr. Olanrewaju Saka, described the Public Service Week as an opportunity to celebrate the resilience, commitment and contributions of public servants to the development of the state.

Saka commended Governor Abiodun for what he described as purposeful leadership, particularly in the areas of workers’ welfare, civil service repositioning, capacity development and targeted training programmes.

He maintained that the Ogun State Public Service remained strong and united, while calling on workers to renew their commitment to professionalism and improved service delivery.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Urban and Physical Planning, Tpl. Tunji Odunlami, who represented the state commissioners, warned against sidelining the public service in governance.

Odunlami described the Ogun Public Service as one of the best in the country and praised the Head of Service for efforts aimed at reorienting and strengthening the workforce.

He urged public servants to remain committed to their duties, expressing optimism that their dedication and contributions would eventually be rewarded.

The Chairman of the Ogun State House of Assembly Committee on Establishment and Public Service, Hon. Babatunde Tella, said the theme of the celebration was timely, particularly as the state seeks to build a stronger and more responsive public service.

Tella pledged the continued support of the House of Assembly towards initiatives designed to enhance the welfare, capacity and effectiveness of public servants.

He urged workers to remain innovative, uphold the image of the state and serve as worthy ambassadors of the Ogun State Public Service.

Delivering the keynote address, Mallam Hammed Gobir emphasised the central role of public servants in translating government policies into practical realities.

Gobir noted that while government provides ideas and policies, the public service provides the institutional experience and capacity required to turn those policies into results.

He described innovation as the courage to improve systems and practices that people may have become accustomed to tolerating, while also drawing attention to the issue of trust deficit within the public service.

He called for a public service that would accommodate the needs of different categories of citizens, including young professionals, elderly pensioners and persons living with disabilities.

According to him, public institutions must be designed to serve both citizens who have access to smartphones and digital platforms and those who do not, stressing that no institution can successfully transform without developing the capacity of its people.

The State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Comrade Hammed Benco, also commended the administration for its attention to workers’ welfare but called for further improvement in training opportunities and working conditions.

Benco raised concerns over the need for public servants in the state to gain access to the contributory pension scheme and urged government to continue improving the working environment.

In separate remarks, the President of the Association of Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries in Ogun State, Engr. Niyi Abiola, and a former Head of Service, Princess Iyabo Odulate, described the public service as the engine room of government.

The duo commended the progress recorded in the Ogun State Public Service and appreciated the Head of Service for his role in advancing the institution.

They pledged the association’s continued partnership with serving public servants and encouraged workers to remain hardworking, resilient and committed to giving their best in the service of the state.

The event featured a public lecture, panel discussion and cultural performances by the Ogun State Cultural Troupe.

With the announcement of the 2025/2026 promotion exercise, attention will now turn to the implementation of the process and the eventual career advancement of eligible public servants, as the state government continues to position staff development and merit-based progression as key components of public service reform.

Global Mirror News gathered that the announcement was made on Thursday, August 13, 2026, during the 2026 Public Service Week activities in Abeokuta.