Edo Academy Trains 15,000 Public, Civil Servants in Critical Skills

The John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA) has equipped over 15,000 public and civil servants with essential skills aimed at driving professional excellence and improving service delivery. This milestone was highlighted by Precious Imuwahen Ajoonu, the Director-General of JOOPSA, during the Academy’s Open House event held in Benin, which also included an awards presentation to recognize outstanding staff, public servants, volunteers, and partners.

Ajoonu noted that the academy, established by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration, is dedicated to fostering professionalism and excellence within public service. She emphasized that JOOPSA’s mission is to empower civil servants with critical skills necessary for addressing the complexities of modern governance, thus strengthening public administration across Nigeria.

“We have trained over 15,000 public and civil servants since the academy was legally established two years ago,” Ajoonu stated. “Our vision is to cultivate a public service that is responsive, efficient, and accountable. We believe in the potential of every civil and public servant to lead with integrity and competence, and we are here to nurture that potential.”

She reiterated JOOPSA’s commitment to building a public service workforce equipped for today’s governance challenges, stressing the academy’s role in fostering a culture of integrity and competence within Nigeria’s public sector.

In a lecture titled “Strategic Leadership,” Professor Ibrahim Shaibu from the University of Benin urged attendees to embrace critical thinking and commit to lifelong learning. He highlighted the importance of skills like strategic planning, empathetic leadership, and resilience as key drivers of success in the public service.