Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Emomotimi Dennis Guwor, has charged management staff of the Assembly to build an organizational culture that prioritizes collaboration, innovation, and service excellence to strengthen legislative output and institutional performance.
Rt Hon Guwor gave the charge on Friday, July 3, 2026, while declaring open the 2026 Management Retreat of the Delta State House of Assembly holding in Ughelli, with the theme “Building an Organizational Culture that Promotes Synergy”.
Represented by the Leader of the House, Hon Emeka Nwaobi PhD, the Speaker described retreats as strategic platforms to reflect on achievements, honestly assess challenges, and develop practical strategies for greater institutional effectiveness.
“Synergy is the driving force that transforms individual competence into institutional excellence. It is the foundation upon which innovation flourishes, productivity increases and sustainable progress is achieved,” Guwor said.
The Speaker commended management staff as custodians of institutional memory and the engine room of the legislative process, noting that the quality of legislative support services directly influences the quality of governance delivered to the people of Delta State.
He urged participants to align the Assembly’s administrative processes with the MORE Agenda of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, which is anchored on Meaningful Development, Opportunities for All, Realistic Reforms and Enhanced Peace and Security.
“As a critical arm of government, we must ensure our processes reflect efficiency, accountability, innovation and service excellence that underpin the MORE Agenda,” he added.
Guwor assured staff of the House leadership’s unwavering support for professional growth, continuous learning, and administrative excellence, expressing confidence that a united management team would keep the Assembly as one of Nigeria’s most progressive legislatures.
The Clerk of the House, Barr Otto Aghoghophia, said the retreat was convened at a crucial time to reposition the administrative arm of the legislature for effective service delivery.
He welcomed management staff to Ughelli, noting that their presence demonstrated commitment to the growth and continued excellence of the institution.
Aghoghophia described the theme as timely and thought-provoking, stressing that no organization attains sustainable success where individuals work in isolation.
“True institutional excellence is achieved when there is unity of purpose, mutual respect, effective communication, teamwork, trust, and shared commitment to organizational goals”, he said.
The Clerk urged management staff to foster collaboration across departments, encourage innovation, and ensure every officer feels valued and empowered.
He said the retreat provided opportunity to reflect on practices, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies to enhance productivity, accountability, and institutional harmony.
Aghoghophia expressed appreciation to Speaker Guwor for his commitment to capacity building and commended facilitators for guiding the exercise.
Consultant to the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, NILDS, Dr John Olanrewaju, commended the Delta Assembly for building a strong legislative bureaucracy and fostering a culture of synergy that has positioned it as a model for legislatures across Nigeria.
Presenting a paper entitled “An Overview of Synergy: Building an Organizational Culture That Promotes Synergy” to prepare staff for the transition to the 9th Assembly. Olanrewaju recalled NILDS’ seven-year partnership with Delta Assembly through retreats and capacity-building programmes.
The Consultant said there is no substitute for human capital development, noting that the Assembly’s commitment has contributed to institutional growth and efficiency.
He recalled recommending expansion of the Office of the Clerk through appointment of more Deputy Clerks, saying “The Assembly has since grown from one Deputy Clerk to three”.
The NILDS consultant highlighted Delta’s increasing national prominence, noting the Speaker serves as Chairman of the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures, while the Deputy Speaker and House Leader occupy national leadership positions among peers.
Resource persons are expected to take participants through sessions on “Planning for Change: Implementing Sustainable Change”, “Legislative Administrative Management: Delivering Public Value in the Legislature”, “Mediation and Negotiation”, and “Overview of Synergy”.
Some management staff interviewed described the retreat as a worthwhile investment in capacity building that would improve productivity, boost morale, and strengthen teamwork ahead of the 9th Assembly.
They noted the annual retreat tradition provides opportunity to reflect, reassess strategies, and “unlearn, learn and relearn” new ideas on managing change for organizational effectiveness.
The Speaker thereafter formally declared the retreat open and wished participants fruitful deliberations.
