Delta State Head of Service, Mr. Reginald Bayoko, yesterday, revealed the journey that led to his emergence as the state’s top civil servant—a position he has remarkably held for nearly nine years, making him the longest-serving Head of Service (HoS) in the state’s history.
In an exclusive interview with The Pointer ahead of his retirement on March 29, 2025, Bayoko reflected on his 35-year civil service career, which saw him swiftly ascend through the ranks, from Administrative Officer to directorate cadre, Permanent Secretary, and Head of Service.
‘’I can only share with you what the former governor (Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa) who made the decision, shared with me. But the truth is that in the service, there is strict adherence to seniority, especially in the cadre where I belong.
‘’So, as at the time I was made Head of Service, I had spent 10 years as a Permanent Secretary. I was among the longest-serving permanent secretaries. Then, there was also the Solicitor General who had served longer than me and another permanent secretary who was below me but had served not up to eight years.
“But from what the then Governor told me, he agreed that I had a senior colleague but there were other considerations. First, the last two Heads of Service before me spent a very short time; one about nine months and the other just barely a year.
‘’Again, the Permanent Secretary who was my senior (Solicitor General) had barely a year (to leave service). So, the Governor wanted some continuity. Beyond that, I have had the privilege to broaden my experience, having served in several capacities and ministries.
‘’So, I believe it influenced the Governor to have fate in my ability to deliver. Of course, there was also the hand of God in my affairs’’ Bayoko said, even as he enjoined civil servants in the state to sustain the positivity mindset for enhanced service delivery.
Among his achievements since his appointment as Head of Service in 2016, Bayoko mentioned periodic training for civil servants, promotions, implementation of two minimum wage regimes, enhanced car loan schemes, and strengthened reporting system for the Annual Performance Evaluation Report (APER), among others.
