The Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has hailed the immediate past Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works, Mr Rafiu Olarinre Adeladan, for his dedication to duty and meritorious service to the nation.
Umahi was represented by the Minister of State for Works, Rt. Hon. Bello Muhammad Goronyo, at the retirement ceremony held in honour of Adeladan at the Boardwalk Event Centre, Utako, Abuja, after 35 years of meritorious service.
“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honour and privilege to stand before you this evening, on behalf of my minister, His Excellency, Senator Engineer David Umahi, to deliver a short remark to honour our own, our brother, the immediate past Permanent Secretary of the ministry,” Goronyo said.
Goronyo said he was speaking from a position of double familiarity, having worked closely with Adeladan both at the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, where he was Director of Procurement, and subsequently at the Federal Ministry of Works.
“I can say without fear of contradiction that this man is a God-fearing man. He never misses prayer in congregation. Each time you are having a meeting, he will excuse himself and say his prayer, and that is why God is elevating you,” he said, adding, “You are so nice, calm, quiet, but a silent achiever that we will never forget.”
He conveyed the sincere best wishes of the Minister and the ministry, noting that Adeladan served meritoriously and with distinction, sacrificed his comfort and sometimes slept in the office to ensure the delivery of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, including the flag-off of numerous road projects. He also prayed that God would continue to bless him and his family.
Adeladan, in his response, expressed profound gratitude to Almighty God for granting him a successful and fulfilling career in public service.
He thanked his parents for their love, upbringing, care and sacrifices, which he said contributed to his achievements in service.
He also appreciated his wife for her patience and sacrifices, acknowledging that the demands of his official responsibilities sometimes took time away from his family.
“You must remain steadfast and resilient in the discharge of your duties,” Adeladan told serving public officers, urging them to remain committed to national development.
He thanked his colleagues, mentors, and the management and staff of the Ministry of Works for their support, cooperation and for organising the send-off. He also prayed for the continued success of the ministry in delivering on its mandate.
Mr Rafiu Olarinre Adeladan was born on 26 August 1966 and hails from Oorelope Local Government Area of Oyo State. He began his early education at Okegboho Baptist Primary School, Igboho, where he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1976. He proceeded to Irepo Grammar School, Igboho, and later attended Oliver Baptist High School, Oyo, completing his secondary education in 1982 and 1984, respectively.
He obtained his Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Psychology from the University of Ibadan in 1989 and later earned a Master of Science (M.Sc.) degree in Industrial/Organisational Psychology from the same institution in 1993. In 1999, he further obtained a second master’s degree in Health Management, Planning and Policy from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom.
Adeladan commenced his professional career in 1993 as a Personnel Officer in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Services. Owing to his outstanding performance, he received an Award of Excellence and was recommended for conversion to the Planning Cadre in 1995. With the creation of the Procurement Cadre in 2008, he transitioned as one of its pioneer officers and underwent specialised training as a Procurement Officer under the World Bank-Assisted Health Systems Development Project II. He thereafter served in various Ministries, Departments and Agencies, culminating in his appointment as Director of Procurement in 2018.
Over the years, he built extensive professional experience through participation in several national and international conferences and training programmes. These include the E-Government Procurement (E-GP) Training at Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., organised by the Bureau of Public Procurement in 2022; Procurement for Policy Makers, organised by the International Law Institute, Washington, D.C., in 2020; the International Conference on Sustainable Procurement Systems and New Store Management Strategies at KCA University, Nairobi, Kenya, in 2019; and various World Bank workshops on procurement methods in Nigeria between 2000 and 2008.
Mr Adeladan is widely recognised for his commitment to excellence in service delivery. He has mentored several procurement officers and served as a key adviser to Permanent Secretaries on procurement-related matters.
Before his elevation to the position of Federal Permanent Secretary, he served as Director of Procurement at the Federal Ministry of Works. He was appointed a Federal Permanent Secretary by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, initially serving at the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy before being moved to the Works Ministry, where he remained until his retirement.
He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management of Nigeria (FCIPSN). A devoted family man, he is happily married and blessed with five children.
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