The Edo Government on Wednesday announced plans to formally inaugurate the John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA), to commemorate the former governor’s 84th birthday on Aug. 12.
Precious Ajoonu, Director-General of JOOPSA, disclosed this when she took newsmen on a tour of the state-of-the-art facility at the academy in Benin.
Ajoonu said that the launch of JOOPSA would be a step toward the advancement of human capital development within the state public service.
She said that JOOPSA was established by Gov. Godwin Obaseki, with a strategic intent to foster accelerated human capital development.
“This center is thoughtfully designed and equipped with modern facilities including classrooms, amphitheater, library, sickbay and tech lab., all of which are complemented by cutting edge technologies, training aids and equipment to enhance the learning experience.
“We are honoured to have the academy bear the name of Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, a retired Federal Permanent Secretary and first Executive Governor of Edo,’’ he said.
The JOOPSA boss said that the decision to name the academy after Odigie-Oyegun went beyond immortalizing his legacy but to celebrate his values, ethos and unwavering commitment to create public value and institutionalize excellence in public service
“As we embark on the journey to empower and equip our public servants with the necessary skills, knowledge and abilities, we believe that JOOPSA will play a pivotal role in driving positive change and fostering a culture of excellence in public service,” Ajoonu said.
The director-general further said that the academy had so far trained 5,000 civil servants and by the end of 2023, about 10,000 civil servants would be skilled.
The former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Stephen Oronsaye, is expected to deliver the keynote address.
