By ENITAN ABEL JOHNGOLD ORHERUATA, mnipr
The Head of the Delta State Civil Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Mininim Oseji, has commended Governor Rt. Hon. Elder Sheriff Oborevwori for his unwavering commitment to capacity building and civil service reforms, as the state inaugurated the 21st edition of the Seven-Weekend Management Training Course for senior management staff in Asaba.
Speaking at the opening ceremony held at the Conference Hall of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (Delta State Branch), Dr. Oseji described the programme as a “pivotal policy thrust of the Renewed Hope M.O.R.E. Agenda” of the Oborevwori administration, aimed at grooming officers for higher leadership responsibilities in the State Civil Service.
She lauded the Governor for approving, for the first time since the inception of the programme, a transport grant for participants, saying the gesture demonstrated his “unwavering commitment to manpower capacity development in the state public service.”
“The prompt approval and release of funds for this programme by His Excellency, the Governor, is highly commendable. This shows his continued interest in strengthening professionalism, accountability, and efficiency in the Delta State Civil Service,” Dr. Oseji said.
The Head of Service noted that the seven-weekend training programme was designed to equip officers preparing for the Directorate cadre with contemporary management skills, leadership techniques, and innovative tools aligned with global best practices.
According to her, the training will enhance participants’ ability to:
1. Deliver top-quality public services efficiently and effectively.
2. Respond to increasing societal demands in today’s dynamic civil service environment.
3. Foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation among officers.
She emphasized that participation, discipline, and performance in the training were now prerequisites for promotion to Grade Level 15 and above, urging participants to make the most of the opportunity by translating the knowledge gained into improved service delivery across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
“This programme is not just an academic exercise; it is a transformational process. We expect that after this course, acts of misconduct such as absenteeism, lateness, ghost working, and financial irregularities will be reduced to the barest minimum,” she added.
Dr. Oseji also expressed appreciation to the Delta State Civil Service Commission, led by Lady (Mrs.) Rosemary Amioku, for maintaining a robust partnership with her office, and to the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) for its continued technical support in training state officials since 2004.
She disclosed that this year’s course would focus on digital transformation, fiscal transparency, procurement, auditing, and performance evaluation, reflecting the administration’s drive for transparency, innovation, and results-oriented governance.
In her goodwill message, the Director-General of ASCON, Mrs. Funke F. Adepoju, applauded Governor Oborevwori for his “visionary leadership and steadfast commitment to human capital development”, describing Delta’s partnership with ASCON as “a shining example of how strategic collaboration between a government institution and the civil service can enhance governance and accelerate sustainable development.”
Mrs. Adepoju said the seven-weekend programme was carefully designed to combine five weekends of intensive lectures with two weekends of practical performance assessment, ensuring that participants not only learn theoretical concepts but also apply them to real administrative challenges.
“The core objective of this programme is to enhance managerial competence, promote innovation and ethical leadership, and strengthen participants’ ability to implement government policies efficiently,” she stated.
She highlighted that the training modules would cover strategic management, performance improvement, human resource development, leadership ethics, and change management, urging participants to embrace the opportunity with dedication and creativity.
“The success of this programme will not only be measured by the knowledge gained but by the transformation it brings to your daily work and the overall performance of the Delta State Civil Service,” Mrs. Adepoju stressed.
The ASCON boss commended Dr. Oseji for her “exceptional leadership and visionary approach to reform”, noting that her emphasis on meritocracy and continuous training had repositioned the Delta Civil Service as a professional, disciplined, and result-oriented institution.
The Seven-Weekend Management Training Course, introduced in 2004, remains one of the flagship capacity-building programmes of the Delta State Government.
This year’s edition is expected to empower senior officers with the leadership, digital, and ethical competencies required to drive the Oborevwori administration’s M.O.R.E. Agenda — Meaningful Development, Opportunities for All, Realistic Reforms, and Enhanced Peace and Security.
Declaring the course open, Dr. Oseji reaffirmed the government’s determination to build “a courteous, transparent, innovative, and ICT-compliant workforce” capable of translating policies into measurable public impact.
“At this point, it is my privilege and honour to formally declare, to God’s glory, the 2025 edition of the Seven-Weekend Senior Management Staff Training Programme open,” she concluded.