By Simon Ebegbulem
BENIN— GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has sworn in the former Chief Press Secretary to Professor Oserheimen Osunbor government, Mr. Dan Aigbavbua and 17 others as Permanent Secretaries in the state Civil Service. He, however, declined to swear in two others who arrived late for the inauguration.

The late comers, both of them women, arrived the venue while the oaths were already being administered on their colleagues. One is a Director in the Ministry of Justice while the other is in the Ministry of Education.

The governor said he wondered what time the two directors get to work if they could arrive late for their own swearing-in, saying, “your punishment is that you will return to your offices as Directors and be sworn-in with the next batch of Permanent Secretaries.”

To those sworn-in, Oshiomhole said their appointment was based on merit.

He said “Allow me to congratulate each and every one of you, who has just been sworn in as Permanent Secretaries and who will soon be posted to various ministries.

I apologise for the delay in the appointment of this new set of Permanent Secretaries. We have been working on this list in the past six months and the whole idea is to ensure that only those who deserve to be appointed are appointed.

“One of the problems of public service in Nigeria is that some people believe that it is not what you know but who you know that will make you make progress and determine what you get. In Edo State, I have tried my best to reverse this perception.

People must define how far they want to go by how you approach your work. You choose to work hard. That hard work will be appreciated and rewarded. You choose not to work hard, then you remain static where you are.”