The Delta State Ministry of Information witnessed a significant leadership transition on Tuesday as Mrs. Stella Macaulay was formally appointed as the new Functioning Permanent Secretary, succeeding Mr. Harold Ojji upon his retirement.
The handover ceremony, held at the ministry’s headquarters, marked the conclusion of Mr. Ojji’s tenure and ushered in a new administrative phase under Mrs. Macaulay.
During the event, the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Communication, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, reflected on his long-standing professional relationship with the outgoing Permanent Secretary, which he noted extended back to their time at Government House.
He acknowledged that Mr. Ojji’s extensive private sector experience and deep understanding of public service procedures greatly facilitated his own transition into government.
Mr. Aniagwu characterized Ojji as supportive, dependable, and results-driven, commending his dedication to duty, strong work ethic, and focus on capacity development.
He emphasized that Ojji’s growth in competence and effectiveness distinguished him as a model public servant.
The commissioner urged the ministry’s staff to remain diligent and avoid unnecessary delays in processing files, underscoring that commitment and competence are key determinants of career advancement.
Addressing concerns regarding staff redeployments, Aniagwu clarified that the ongoing realignments were strategic rather than punitive, aimed at improving performance and optimizing personnel utilization.
He encouraged Mrs. Macaulay to build upon existing achievements and prepare for the demands of her new role.
In his farewell remarks, Mr. Ojji praised the commissioner for his unparalleled commitment to staff welfare and effective coordination of over 80 corps members, whose contributions have positively impacted the ministry.
He also highlighted operational challenges, including a lack of official operational and utility vehicles, inadequate work equipment, and the urgent need to modernize facilities in key parastatals such as Pointer Newspaper and Delta Broadcasting Service in Asaba and Warri.
Responding, Mrs. Macaulay described the occasion as emotional, expressing her admiration for Mr. Ojji as an experienced administrator from whom she had learned extensively.
She also commended Mr. Aniagwu’s visionary leadership, pledging to prioritize the training and retraining of staff to enhance efficiency and improve service delivery within the ministry.
Goodwill messages were offered by the Director of New Media, Mr. Salvation Ogono, and the Deputy Director and Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council, Comrade Churchill Oyowe.
Both speakers praised Mr. Ojji for his years of dedicated service and conveyed confidence in Mrs. Macaulay’s ability to uphold and advance the ministry’s mandate.
The ceremony concluded with the formal signing of handover documents by Mr. Ojji and Mrs. Macaulay, officially completing the leadership transition at the ministry
