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From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
The joy of the workers was palpable as they trickle in with handy files and other official items to occupy their allotted office spaces at the recently inaugurated Central Secretariat Complex, Asaba, Delta State. The sprawling edifice has floor space of 45,000 square meters.
The N20 billion complex named after the Asagba of Asaba, Obi (Prof.) Chike Edozien, would accommodate all the government 27 ministries.
Following its official commissioning by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, civil servants who were hitherto scattered in rented apartments in the metropolis are gradually moving in.
Mr Churchill Oyowe, a civil servant, said: “It’s something that naturally brings vigour to you when you are in a conducive environment. The environment has been described as an intelligent building.
“Working here makes you to have artificial intelligence. It motivates you it pushes you to greater service. I believe Governor Ifeanyi Okow has done very well by giving civil servants the environment where they can put in their best.
“It’s a sweet environment. I want to believe that as a legacy project, those using it will do so like personal property.”
Mrs Gertrude Dumebi: “Since I joined the service, civil servants have been scattered in rented offices. But Okowa came, saw and deemed it fit to build an edifice that would take in all the MDAs.
“And that would create a harmonious working environment. It is a beauty to behold. It will make us more effective and efficient in service delivery.
“We now synergise with ease while the government is also saving cost. Since we are all in the same place, the money that would have been used in paying rent would be channelled into other meaningful developmental projects that would improve the living condition of Deltans.”
Mr Kenneth Obieh’s view: “The state-of-the-art secretariat would help civil servants to be more productive. It will bring about unity of purpose and coordination on how they implement government policies compared to the past when MDAs were scattered around town.
“It will help facilitate prompt service delivery. This is a legacy project that Okowa would be remembered for. We give kudos to the governor for this project.”
The high-rise secretariat, a sprawling spectacle, kisses the skyline of Asaba along the reconstructed Maryam Babangida Way where five-star hotels and other corporate entities have sprung up to advance the serene ambience of the once deplorable area.
Standing in between the old state secretariat named after the first executive governor of the state, Felix Ibru, and its annex, the iconic seven-storey building is a mass of rocky concrete and solid metal. It is designed around five clusters with multiple floors, each cluster around a courtyard to allow natural light and ventilation into the offices.
Other features include office inter-connectivity through voice and data network systems. There are nine seminar/conference rooms, a training room, a 26-bed space clinic, crèche, banking hall, restaurants, spacious car park and constant electricity supply from the nearby 8.5 megawatts Asaba Independent Power Plant (AIPP).
Osinbajo said it was one of Okowa’s legacies of “inspirational and visionary leadership.” He added that the complex was not only historical but also monumental: “The civil service building of any country or state is not just in the seat of power but also the splendour and the authority of the government.
“This imposing complex clearly meets these requirements. In due course, such buildings become historical monuments. The civil service and the people of Delta are today being presented with a state-of-the-art, functional and befitting secretariat complex after so many years.
“More importantly, you are also saying to a generation that is not even old enough to be employed in the civil service today that integrity, diligence and service to community and country still pay. It is my hope that this place will like the eminent personage after whom it is named and be a symbol of distinction and unity.
“The governor’s recognition of the critical role of the public sector is notable because optimal public service delivery requires an efficient public service which will require a workspace that is well equipped, conducive and inspirational.
“Public servants require an environment that brings out the best in them and this secretariat complex will provide such environment. I congratulate you once again my dear brother, Governor Okowa, for the successful completion of this very important project, which is yet another demonstration of what you have shown over the years that with visionary leadership, state governments can do incredible things and this notably will be one of your most worthwhile legacies.”
Okowa responded with a feeling of satisfaction: “I stand here today feeling very proud of this legacy project. Indeed, I am filled with a great sense of joy, satisfaction, fulfilment and triumph.
“It was an arduous journey from the time construction commenced on November 27, 2017, to this momentous occasion. It was quite demanding and exerting. There were times we were tempted to throw up our hands in despair and even questioned the wisdom for embarking on a project of this magnitude.
“The turbulence that has plagued the economy since 2017 was worsened with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, causing major financial disruptions during the construction process. However, we persevered and weathered the storm, fully persuaded of the huge benefits accruable to the state once the structure was completed.
“The good news is that it was structured such that payment would be completed in 2022 within the lifespan of this administration. We are not passing on anything to another administration. We have already made payment for four years. The contractors also have some part financing and structured also as ISPO, that also would be completed by 2023.”
The governor said with the completion of the secretariat, the state would save hundreds of millions of naira spent annually in renting offices while the coordination and synergy among MDAs would be enhanced, leading to higher morale, better time management, efficiency and greater productivity.
He explained that the edifice was named after Obi Edozien, “in recognition of his accomplishments in the medical profession and his disposition to peace-building and peaceful coexistence among the different ethnic nationalities of the state.
“The narrative of poor maintenance culture that has bedevilled the civil service must give way to a sense of ownership, complemented by decency and responsibility. This is imperative for the integrity of the civil service establishment and the progress of the state. I expect chief accounting officers of various ministries to institute strict measures to encourage, enhance and enforce the culture of maintenance.”
Commissioner for Special Projects, Henry Sakpra, said the project was conceptualised in 2016 with the ultimate objective of providing conducive working environment for the state’s workforce. He said actual work commenced in November 2017, following completion of contract documentation by government and the contracting firm.
