…unveils housing scheme for civil servants
The Rivers State Government has approved the comprehensive rehabilitation and modernization of the Rivers State Secretariat Complex, a decision that has sparked both praise and criticism.
The State Administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (Rtd), announced the project during the 2025 Civil Service Week Gala and Awards Ceremony at Government House, Port Harcourt.
The move comes barely two weeks after the House of Representatives Committee overseeing Rivers State decried the condition of the secretariat, describing it as unfit for serious business. Committee Chairman, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, had called the complex a “death hole,” urging urgent action.
Vice Admiral Ibas said the rehabilitation would transform the facility into a modern, efficient, and conducive work environment, befitting the civil servants who he described as the “backbone of governance.” Alongside the secretariat’s overhaul, the Administrator also approved the construction of 106 housing units for civil servants.
However, critics argue the project should be deferred until the restoration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, insisting that the call for rehabilitation was a pretext to draw from the state’s coffers.
At the event, Ibas paid glowing tribute to retired Heads of Service and Permanent Secretaries, describing them as “the bedrock of the state’s administration.” He said the awards ceremony was meant to honor decades of sacrifice, resilience, and commitment.
“These interventions are designed not only to recognize your service, but also to improve your welfare in tangible and lasting ways,” Ibas declared. “We must build an administration that is efficient, effective, and truly citizen-centric.”
He urged serving officers to emulate their predecessors by embracing innovation, technology, and continuous training to create a civil service prepared for future challenges.
The Acting Head of Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Inyingi Brown, described the civil service as the “engine room of government.” She expressed gratitude to the Administrator for his support, pledging to deepen reforms that would make the Rivers State Civil Service a model of efficiency and transparency by 2030.
“A society that does not honor its heroes is not worthy of emulation,” Dr. Brown remarked, lauding the retirees as torchbearers of discipline and loyalty.
Speaking on behalf of the honorees, Sir Promise Njowhor, President of the Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries, expressed appreciation for the recognition.
“For once, since the creation of the state, we are being honored. Our morale has been lifted,” Njowhor said, pledging the retirees’ continued support for government initiatives.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of the “Most Civil Service Friendly” award to Ibas by the Forum of Permanent Secretaries in recognition of his sustained promotion of civil service welfare and development.
The rehabilitation of the secretariat and the introduction of a new housing scheme are being positioned as landmark investments in infrastructure and in the dignity of public service, signaling what the government calls a “new era of support” for Rivers State civil servants.
