UDOMI: A resource person at the just-concluded Edo State Government retreat for civil servants, public servants and political appointees, retired General Cecil Esekhaigbe, has said that the exercise helped to close critical gaps in governance and improve service delivery across the state.

Esekhaigbe, who spoken to journalists at the retreat venue in Udomi, said the initiative was conceived by Governor Monday Okpebholo to strengthen communication strategies and clearly define working relationships among permanent secretaries, commissioners and heads of ministries, departments and agencies.

According to him, effective governance depends on a clear delineation of roles and responsibilities, noting that the retreat ensured that officials better understood their mandates and how to work collaboratively for results.

He explained that the retreat aligns with the governor’s SHINE agenda—Security, Health, Infrastructure, Natural Resources and Education, adding that discussions and engagements during the programme helped to address governance deficiencies and close institutional gaps.

Esekhaigbe said carefully selected resource persons delivered sessions on key governance areas, including a former Secretary to the State Government, Dr Ezekiel Gomos, who shared practical insights on effective working relationships among commissioners, special advisers and permanent secretaries.

He added that Dr Otunba Showumi and other experts also spoke on education, policy formulation and public administration.

He said his own presentation focused on work-life balance, stressing that productivity in public service is enhanced when officials are able to balance work demands with family and personal life.
“You cannot work all the time and abandon family life. For productivity to be sustained, there must be a balance between work and rest,” he said.

On the choice of Udomi as the retreat location, Esekhaigbe described it as deliberate and symbolic, aimed at inspiring communities and promoting inclusiveness.
He noted that the exercise exposed participants, particularly those from Benin, to a broader understanding of Edo State’s three senatorial zones.

He expressed confidence that similar retreats would be organised in Edo North to further strengthen unity and governance cohesion in the state.

Other speakers at the retreat, including a member of the Edo State Audit Commission, Hajia Maimunah Momodu, and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Paul Ohonbamu, also emphasised the need for synergy, clear role definition and policy coherence to achieve effective governance in Edo State.