Makinde Appoints 45 New Permanent Secretaries In Oyo

Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has appointed 45 new Permanent Secretaries and three Executive Secretaries across various sectors of the state civil service. The appointments, which reflect a broad restructuring effort, were announced by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, on Friday. They were formalized in a document signed by the Head of Service, Mrs. Olubunmi Oni.

Out of the 45 new permanent secretaries, 16 were deployed to the mainstream civil service, while six were appointed as Inspectors General of Education. Additionally, six permanent secretaries were appointed to head the health sector, and seven were named for local government duties. There is also a new Permanent Secretary/Clerk for the House of Assembly, a newly appointed Surveyor General, and nine Tutors General.

This set of appointments is significant as it departs from the tradition where mainstream civil servants held the bulk of permanent secretary positions. Notably, the local government sector saw an increase in the number of permanent secretaries, with seven new appointments in this area, compared to the previous token representation.

The Commissioner highlighted that the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) would now have zonal executive secretaries, marking another shift from past practices. Furthermore, instead of the typical hospital heads, the health sector will now be managed by permanent secretaries at the zonal level.

Oyelade also noted that over 23,000 government workers have been recruited, and starting this month, more than ₦143 billion will be allocated annually for workers’ salaries, positioning Oyo as a leader in worker welfare across the Federation.