To foster integrated regional growth, the Association of Retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries (South-West) has pledged to collaborate closely with the South-West Development Commission (SWDC), Odu’a Investment Company, the DAWN Commission, and other strategic partners.
This was the highpoint of an 11-point communiqué of the group’s 12th Quarterly Meeting held on Friday in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, which drew delegates from Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti states.
The communiqué was signed by Regional President Demola Badejo, lawyer and former Ogun NUJ chairman, and Pastor (Mrs.) Adenike Olufadewa, which stated that the retired senior public servants are ready to deploy their extensive experience in policy formulation and implementation to support regional growth initiatives.
The document highlighted the integration of the six states through rail by the regional bodies,
Part of it read: “The association resolved to continue to work with South-West Development Commission, Odu’a Limited, DAWN commission and other regional bodies to enhance development and improve the quality of lives of the people of the region.
“The meeting resolved to sustain and deepen implementation of the association’s Seven-Point Agenda, with particular attention to the Odu’a House Initiative, modeled after Chatham House in London strategic partnerships and advocacy and government engagement.’’
The meeting equally reaffirmed the association’s commitment to neutrality, impartiality and anonymity in the public service, urging serving public officers across the region to remain professional and avoid partisan entanglements.
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It urged state chapters to expedite action on the nomination of patrons/matrons for the regional body while also imploring its Board of Trustees (BoT) and state chapter leaderships to work more closely with the Regional Executive Committee to strengthen the effectiveness of the association.
The association congratulated Governor Biodun Oyebanji, on his re-election and commended the state government, the state chapter and those who contributed to the successful hosting of the meeting in Ekiti.
On the ongoing construction of the association’s secretariat, the body observed noted with satisfaction, the initial donation of N1.5 million by state serving permanent secretaries and the pledge by the governor to assist in the early completion of the project.
It, however, urged state governments that are yet to implement parity of pensions for their retired heads of service and permanent secretaries “to do so as early as possible.’’
The retired bureaucrats urged their colleagues to document their experiences in public administration through memoirs and professional writing as a legacy resource for present and future generations of public servants.