By Abdullahi Lukman
Dr. Emanso Okop Umobong on Wednesday officially assumed duty as the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation, following a handover from her predecessor, Mr. Richard Pheelangwah, during a ceremony in Abuja.
Dr. Umobong, redeployed from the Cabinet Affairs Office in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation for her appointment.
She pledged to uphold discipline, transparency, accountability, and a results-driven culture in the Ministry.
She highlighted the Ministry’s central role in national development—covering water supply, sanitation, irrigation, hydrology, river-basin development, and climate resilience—and called for renewed commitment and unity among staff.
She affirmed readiness to work collaboratively across departments and agencies while building on existing achievements.
In his farewell remarks, Mr. Pheelangwah thanked the Minister, staff, and development partners for their cooperation, noting accomplishments in sanitation improvement, potable water access, irrigation expansion for food security, and strengthened reforms.
He urged officers to extend full support to his successor as he moves to his new posting as Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Defence.
The event was attended by senior government officials, including the Permanent Secretary, Special Services Office, Mr. Mohammed Sanusi Danjuma, directors, agency heads, and staff of both the Ministry and the Cabinet Affairs Office.
