The Permanent Secretary of the State House, Mr. Temitope Fashedemi, has assured retiring Presidency staff that their years of dedicated service remain valued and will no longer pass without recognition.
Speaking on Tuesday at a reception held in their honour at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, Fashedemi announced that the State House has institutionalised an annual celebration for retirees to formally acknowledge their contributions and ensure that public service careers do not “end in silence.”
According to a statement by the Director of Information and Publicity, State House, Mr. Abiodun Oladunjoye, the Permanent Secretary encouraged retirees to continue seeing themselves as part of the State House family, noting that their institutional memory, experience and mentorship remain important.
“Your service is valuable. Don’t be strangers—reach out to your colleagues here whenever necessary,” Fashedemi said.
He explained that welfare, recognition and reward have become central pillars of modern public service management and would guide how the Presidency honours its workforce.
He lamented the old practice where officials quietly exited the system after decades of service without acknowledgement.
“We must mark exits with gratitude, not indifference. Somebody cannot give 35 years of their life and simply disappear as if nothing happened,” he said.
Fashedemi noted that celebrating excellence and service has now been codified in the public service, adding, “If we don’t celebrate ourselves, nobody will celebrate us.”
He explained that the maiden edition of the ceremony was designed to accommodate retirees from previous months and assured that subsequent editions would be held regularly.
Each honouree, he added, would receive a tangible gift as a token of appreciation.
“We want to gather as many retirees as possible to celebrate you, and we will ensure everyone goes home with something meaningful,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary further linked the initiative to the ongoing Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2025, which prioritises staff welfare through safe work environments, proper tools and structured recognition so that commitment and excellence are consistently acknowledged.
Speaking on behalf of the retirees, Dr. Acho Terungwa expressed appreciation for the gesture and called on Fashedemi to personally assess conditions at the State House Clinic.
He urged a hands-on review to address challenges faced by staff, noting that despite public perception, State House workers do not enjoy special privileges.
“Please take a firsthand look at the State House Clinic. If you do, you will be better positioned to take the State House to the next level,” Terungwa said.
In response, a representative of the Chairman of the Medical Advisory Council, State House Medical Centre, Dr. Ngozi Mmamelu, said the facility had overcome past challenges and was now operating as a unified team focused on restoring its reputation.
“We have moved on from that phase. All hands are on deck to bring back the glory of the medical centre,” the representative said, crediting the support of the Permanent Secretary and other senior officials.
The retirees honoured at the event cut across various cadres, including directors, medical doctors, senior managers, accounts and technical officers, health, catering and clinic personnel.
Among them are directors such as Osunkoya Omokehfe; medical professionals including Dr. Taiwo Fasoranti and Dr. Acho Terungwa; senior managers Hassan Abdullahi, Olumide Fasoranti, Bridget Obe, Rabi’u Suleiman and Edwins Onwanyi.
Others are several technical, health and administrative staff, all of whom received parting gifts in recognition of their service.
Bello Wakili
