A Civil Servant Should not be Desperate to Become Rich Overnight, Learn to Grow, Don't Blow*  Bong Duke.

Iloke Egbe

The Vice Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, Cross River State Planning Commission, Pastor Dr. Bong Duke has charged Civil Servants in the State not to be desperate to become rich overnight, but should learn to grow by their years in the service and not to blow in wealth.

He gave the advice during a send-forth ceremony organized by the State Bureau of Statistics in honour of the immediate past State Statistician General, Dr Josephat Ogar and other retirees from the Bureau, at the State Planing Commission building, New Secretariat Complex Calabar.

Mr. Duke reiterated that the life of a Civil Servant is different from that of a business person, as Civil Servants are  characterized by patience, honesty, respectfulness, adding that the Service inculcate dignity and containment at different levels. He acknowledged the quality contributions of Dr Josephat Ogar and other retirees to the Bureau of Statistics and Cross River State at large through the preservation of the State heritage, integrity, administrative structures and the bureaucratic process and called on serving Civil Servants to emulate the good examples from the retirees.

Earlier, the Acting Director, Statistics, State Bureau of Statistics Mrs. Akedoh Okoi Edet informed that the celebration was to honour visionaries and professionals whose commitment, discipline, and intellectual leadership
shaped the statistical architecture of Cross-River State and the ceremony is also in recognition of the legacies of the first Statistician-General, Mr. Solomon Itam Ettah who laid the foundation upon which the bureau stands today, at a time when institutional structures were still evolving.

She admitted that Mr Ettah provided direction, administrative clarity, and professional credibility by
establishing systems, build capacities, and embedded statistical culture within Government processes which required courage and oversight.

Mrs. Edet acknowledged the immediate past Statistics General, Dr Josephat Ogar 
who strengthened and expanded the foundation already established through stewardship, and deepened the Bureau methodological rigor, enhanced inter-agency coordination, and improved the visibility of official statistics within policy cycles, adding that he consolidated structures and elevated operational standards while acknowledging the support of the State Planing Commission to the Bureau.

In his comment, the Permanent Secretary, State Planning Commission, Mr. Kingsley Ndem Eyibio expressed satisfaction with the thoughtfulness by the Acting Director Statistics in the Bureau, adding that the immediate past Statistician General and the retired Staff demonstrated patriotism during their active service to the State.

Highlights of the event was reading of the retirees citations, presentation of gifts and a vote of thanks by the immediate past State Statistician General Dr. Josephat Ogar on behalf of the retirees. The retirees were the first State Statistician General, Mr. Solomon Itam Ettah, the immediate past State Statistician General, Dr Josephat Ogar, others are Mrs. Felicia Apia, Mr. Akpi Unwanade, Mr. Raphael Enok and Mr. David Ugah who all retired from the State Bureau of Statistic at different times.