The Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, speaking at the ceremony.
By Anietie Akpan
As the Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Sports concluded its three-day in-house capacity building training, staff have been urged to translate the knowledge and skills acquired into measurable improvements in service delivery.
The Commissioner for Sports, Elder Paul Bassey, gave the charge during the closing ceremony held on Thursday, February 13, 2026, at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium.
In a release from the Information/PR Unit, Ministry of Sports, made available to some newsmen, the Commissioner described the exercise as a strategic investment aimed at strengthening the Ministry’s workforce for greater efficiency and optimal performance.
He commended the staff for their impressive turnout and active participation, noting that their commitment reflected a collective resolve to reposition the Ministry for higher productivity.
Elder Bassey disclosed that the training was initially conceived as a closed-door, in-house session with Directors serving as resource persons but with the involvement of the State Head of Service, the scope was expanded to accommodate external facilitators, thereby enriching the programme.
“We initially planned an in-house session, but with the involvement of the Head of Service, we expanded it and had to fund it outside the Ministry’s budget. The world is evolving and we must evolve with it. The civil service operations are no longer manual; it is technologically driven. In ICT especially, we must be conversant with it -it has come to stay,” he said.
The Commissioner further assured that offices in the Ministry would be equipped with computers and other necessary tools to enhance productivity and overall efficiency.
In her closing remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Rosemary Ubia, explained that the training was designed to address gaps in administrative processes, ICT application, and workplace conduct. She stressed that confidentiality, trust, and adherence to established communication channels are fundamental to an efficient public service.
Drawing a biblical analogy, she referenced Elijah, who was strengthened for three days before embarking on his assignment, noting that the training was meant to equip staff for more effective and result-oriented service delivery.
The Permanent Secretary expressed gratitude to the Commissioner for prioritising staff development despite the financial and logistical demands and urged staff to return to their duty posts with renewed commitment and a heightened sense of responsibility.
On her part, the Director of Sports, Mrs. Brigid Otton, expressed appreciation to the governor, head of service ,the Commissioner, the Permanent Secretary, Directors, facilitators, and members of staff for their contributions to the success of the programme.
The training commenced on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, and was declared open by the State Head of Service, Mrs. Elsie Peters, who emphasised professionalism, discipline, and strict adherence to public service procedures.
Sessions featured topics such as Public Administrative Guidelines for Efficient Management of Documents and Records; Building Performance Capacity; Confidentiality and Trust in the Workplace; Established Communication Standards in the Public Service; Work Ethics and Civil Service Values; as well as ICT and Data Management.
Facilitators engaged participants in practical and interactive sessions aimed at strengthening accountability, improving workplace conduct, and promoting structured communication within government establishments.
