From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
In order to fulfill their obligations to the current administration and prepare for the general elections of 2023, the federal government has given its employees the responsibility of adhering to the civil service regulations l.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, gave the charge in her 2023 New Year Message to the workers.
She also charged them on the need to evolve the culture of efficiency in the new year.
The HoS also listed the reform programmes initiated in the last one year to include the framework of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025 (FCSSIP 25) which was fine tuned by all stakeholders at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic
“I wish to state that the civil service must not lose sight of its age long function of guiding the Government of the day in the formulation of policies and driving their implementation in the interest of national development and the continuum of governance.
“The importance of these roles cannot be overemphasized particularly in view of the fast-approaching transition of the governance of the country. It is our responsibility as custodians of extant rules and policies to continue to provide professional and ethical counsel to our political leaderships in a manner that would ensure stability of the service and sustain the confidence the executive and other arms of government have reposed in the service,” Yemi-Esan said.
She said that the beginning of a new year provides an opportunity for workers and all Nigerians us to reflect on the preceding year because it is a crucial aspect of the learning process.
She added that this allowed citizens to identify and understand reasons for the flaws and most importantly celebrate the achievements, with the objective of advancing national development and fulfilling purpose.
“Our recent journey towards the transformation of our identity and mission has indeed been quite eventful. Consequent upon the devastating effects of COVID-19, we resolved to look inwards and take proactive steps to ensure that the Civil Service is able to play its critical role in the disrupted space.
“Thus, our reform programmes driven within the framework of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025 (FCSSIP 25) which was fine-tuned by all stakeholders at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic has garnered remarkable momentum as key deliverables of the plan have begun to materialize.
“These are with particular reference to Digitalisation of our workflow, capacity building and welfare of our teeming workforce, the emplacement of a Reward and Recognition Scheme, institutionalizing a Performance Management System and the Introduction of a Quality Management System,” she said.
The HoCSF said that notwithstanding the collective and noble achievements, Nigerians must not lose focus on the bigger picture or greater prize which is to evolve a ‘New Civil Service of Our Dream’ – that is alien to the previously negative narrative of inefficiency and is able to meet the needs of citizens and compete globally.
“Towards this vision, our culture of meritocracy, professionalism, continuous self-development and leveraging on technology must be upheld,” she said.
She commended President Muhammadu Buhari for the unprecedented support to the development of the civil service as well as those of partners and stakeholders, expressing hope that the modest feats would compliment other legacy achievements of the administration.