Okpebholo Reshapes Edo Civil Service With Bold Reforms

Edo State governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has in less than a year in office embarked on sweeping reforms aimed at repositioning the state’s civil and public service for greater efficiency and professionalism.

The Head of Service, Dr. Anthony Okungbowa, said the governor has demonstrated a rare commitment to the workforce, describing the civil service as “the engine room of governance and a critical driver of the SHINE Agenda.”

According to him, Okpebholo’s attention to staff welfare and institutional renewal underscores his belief that the administration’s promise of transformation cannot be achieved without a motivated and properly equipped workforce.

One of the striking measures introduced is the termination of outsourced cleaning contracts and the direct employment of 1,000 cleaners into the civil service. The move, he explained, restores dignity and ensures job security, while redirecting funds previously paid to contractors to sustain direct employment at the new minimum wage of N75,000.

Beyond this, nearly 2,000 new staff have been recruited into the health, education and agricultural sectors, raising the number of fresh employees to over 3,000 within nine months. More than 1,300 health workers have been absorbed into the Hospitals Management Agency, while over 4,000 EdoSTAR teachers have been given permanent appointments.

The governor has also approved additional recruitment of doctors, health personnel and agricultural extension officers, alongside new intakes in the education sector to complement ongoing investments in school infrastructure.

The Civil Service Commission has been reconstituted to clear the backlog of promotions through the Edo-PREP system, which places merit and competence at the centre of career advancement.

On welfare, the administration continues to pay salaries promptly, on or before the 26th of every month, and has introduced a 13th-month salary. Edo remains one of only three states in the federation paying a minimum wage of N75,000, a policy workers describe as life-changing.

Pensioners have also been prioritised, with N300 million released monthly for gratuities, N1 billion allocated to clearing arrears dating back to 2012, and N65 million disbursed as insurance benefits to families of deceased workers.

Significant investment has gone into infrastructure, including the renovation of government buildings on Ezoti Street for ministries and agencies, as well as the rehabilitation of resident doctors’ quarters. Symbolic reforms such as a Civil Service Anthem, a new dress code and an annual Civil Service Week have further reinforced institutional identity and pride.

“Okpebholo acts with vision and responsibility. He is not only reforming structures, but restoring confidence in governance,” Okungbowa said, adding that Edo State is positioning its civil service as a national model.

He stressed that with the Edo-PREP blueprint and the governor’s political will, the reforms are both ambitious and achievable, setting Edo on course to become home to one of the finest civil services in Nigeria.