By Udeme Hosea

Governor Umo Eno’s far-reaching efficiency drive and sweeping reforms in the Akwa Ibom State public service took centre stage earlier today as the state formally announced the return of the Public Service Week after 10 years, with a renewed commitment to reposition the civil service for quality performance and effective implementation of the administration’s ARISE Agenda.

The Head of Service, Mrs Elsie Peters, who disclosed this during a media briefing held at the Akpan Isemin Hall, Government House, Uyo, today, Monday, September 14, 2026, said the compassionate governance approach of Governor Umo Eno has reshaped the workforce for greater productivity and service delivery.

Mrs Peters said the briefing was convened to unveil the achievements of Pastor Umo Eno in the public service sector and to set the tone for the week-long celebration, noted that, the present administration has prioritized salaries, gratuity, recruitment, housing, healthcare and a conducive work environment, saying that ,the public service remains central to the implementation of the ARISE Agenda.

Giving a scorecard, the Head of Service revealed that the administration has paid over N90 billion out of the N111 billion inherited pension and gratuity liabilities, a feat she described as unprecedented in the history of the state.

According to her, the government has also settled the 7.5 per cent contributory pension arrears and sustained the implementation of the N80,000 minimum wage since November 2024, in addition to the payment of 13th-month salary to enable workers to celebrate Christmas with ease.

She however hinted that the governor, in his worker-friendly disposition, has injected fresh blood into the system with the recruitment of 7,069 personnel across Ministries, Departments and Agencies, appointed 21 Permanent Secretaries and approved 150 housing units for civil servants in the state.

The Head of Service further explained that the state has launched a comprehensive healthcare scheme to reduce the health burden on workers and sustained capacity building through training and retraining, while improving labour relations to foster industrial harmony.

She disclosed that the approval of Friday as farm day was part of deliberate efforts by the state governor to strengthen food security and agricultural sufficiency, stressing that the administration values the public service as a critical engine of governance.

She announced that the revived Public Service Week has commenced with the media briefing, listing activities for the week to include first elimination match, second elimination match, carnival float (a walk of gratitude), thanksgiving service, free health checks, symposium, quiz final, football final and climax with a gala night/award night at the Ibom Tropicana Event Centre, Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Umana, PhD, in his tone-setting remarks, said the revival of the Public Service Week after a decade speaks the importance the present administration attaches to the civil service as driver of government policies.

Present at the briefing were the Dean of Permanent Secretaries, Barr. Janet Daniels, the Deputy Dean, Dr. Ini Etuk, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Ekerette Udoh, among other permanent secretaries.