The Vice President, Kashim Shettima on Saturday presented award of excellence to Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa.
The award was presented to Gombe Governor on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during the 2024 Nigeria Excellence Awards in Public Service (NEAPS) at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Inuwa Yahaya was honoured as the best performing Governor in Governance, Health Sector, in recognition of his significant contributions to healthcare development in the state.
He was earlier nominated for this prestigious award, along side other public servants by the Presidency through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), in collaboration with a reputable outfit, Best Strategic Media (BSM).
Delivering the President’s speech titled, “Honouring the Heartbeats of Public Service,” Vice President Shettima, restated the Federal Government’s determination “to creating an environment where merit is rewarded, and where every public servant feels valued and motivated to give their best”.
This, he said, is not just about the awards ceremony, but about embedding a culture of recognition and reward in the ethos of the country’s public service.
According to him, “reward and recognition are the very markers of every thriving institution, and indeed, nation,” even as he noted that “the essence of any successful entity, whether a private enterprise or public institution, lies in its ability to honour those who work to uphold its values and drive its progress.
The President showered praises on Governor Inuwa Yahaya and other Nigerian public servants, maintaining that their place must be remembered in order to motivate them to inspire others and make clear “that excellence is not an orphan”.
Beyond a mere ceremony to recognise the unsung heroes who keep the wheels of government and society turning beyond expectations, President Tinubu said NEAPS also plays a crucial role of introducing “more role models to a nation in search of mentors and to tell the awardees that we see them, and the excellence with which they have served the nation.
In his welcome address, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, explained that the process of selecting the distinguished honourees was based on empirical facts and figures that are verifiable.
The SGF assured that efforts would be made to ensure the initiative is maintained as a regular feature in order to motivate and encourage excellence in the country’s public service.
He urged recipients of the awards not to relent in their efforts towards making Nigeria a more prosperous and progressive country.
Speaking to newsmen after the event, Governor Inuwa Yahaya dedicated the award to the people of Gombe State, and in particular, all the state’s health care workers, urging them to see the honour as another opportunity to provide more effective and efficient service to the people.
While expressing gratitude to the presidency and the collaborating firm, BSM for recognizing his modest achievements in governance and health sector, Governor Inuwa emphasized that “We are inspired by this recognition to redouble our efforts in uplifting the lives of the people of Gombe state”.