From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
The President Muhammadu Buhari – led administration has instituted  a mechanism to ensure that hardworking and committed Civil Servants are fairly and timely  appreciated and rewarded, while serving.
The Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, explained that the policy is being conceived with the objectives of improving productivity, as well as attracting , nurturing and retaining the best employees within the Service.
According to a statement by Deputy Director, Communications, Mohammad Ahmed, the Head of Service made this known at the 2022 maiden edition of the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation’s Recognition and Award Ceremony  on 6th October, 2022, in Abuja.
Reiterating the words of the Vice President of Nigeria, Yemi Osinbajo that “the Civil Service must not be seen as a dumping ground for job seekers but must attract the best and the brightest, who will contribute fresh ideas and show a determination to solve our socio-economic problems,” she acknowlegded that Civil Servants are the pillars of national development.
She added that the commitment towards ensuring that government initiatives are sustained in the spirit of rewarding and recognizing excellence, innovation and dedication in the Civil Service, as a motivated and efficient workforce, is now fully entrenched.
While congratulating the Awardees for their outstanding performances and dedication to duty, the Head of Service challenged them to work harder because “the reward for hard work is more work.”
She prompted them to be living examples, as well as sources of motivation to other Civil Servants, aimed at returning the Service to its golden era, through the restoration of its core values of Efficiency, Professionalism, Accountability, Meritocracy and Loyalty.
Yemi-Esan further promised that more incentives and enabling environment will be provided for Civil Servants to facilitate the efficient and effective discharge of their duties.
“You must not fail to also realise that this recognition entrusts a lot of responsibility on you as Ambassadors of Change to transform the Service, in accordance with its vision of building a world class institution.”
Eailer in his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), Alh. Ibrahim Yusufu said that the Recognition and Award, which is been institutionalised as a yearly event in the Federal Civil Service, is meant to motivate the staff to work much harder.
According to him, the management of the OHCSF has chosen the special ocassion as the best medium and a unique opportunity to recognise, acknoledge and celebrate deserving staff for their resilliance, hardwork, dedication and commitment to duty.
Goodwill messages were given by the Director-General  and the Administrator of the two training Institutions under the auspices of the OHCSF, Mrs. Cecelia Gayya and Dr. Abdulganiyu Obatoyibo of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) and the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), respectively. They, unanimously, commended the Head of Service for bringing Performance Management System to reality after several years of unsuccessful attempts. The President, Chatered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) also commended the Head of Service, while promising continued partnership with the Office.
Twenty staff were rewarded as Officers with Exceptional Qualities, fifteen (15) in the senior category and five (5) in the junior.  The Awardees were presented with Certificates of Honour, Plaques and Cash prizes, while the two Most Outstanding were given, additionally, a Fridge for the Overall Best and a Generating Set for the second runner-up.
Present at the occasion were the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Public Service Matters, Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Permanent Secretaries in the OHCSF, as well as those of the Federal Ministries of Trade and Investment and Power, Directors, staff and numerous well wishers.
In a related development, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, has been awarded Fellow and Matron of the Chartered Institute of Loan and Risk Management of Nigeria (CILRMN).
The President/ Chairman, Governing Council of CILRMN,  Nkechi Akubuiro presented the Award to Yemi-Esan, during a courtesy visit with members of the Council, on Thursday 6th, October 2022, in Abuja.
According to her, the inability of the country to mitigate risk has been a great challenge hindering national growth. This has compelled the Institute to work on this area in other to bridge the gap. She insisted that Nigeria needs risk managers, especially from the Civil Service, while urging Staff of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) to  take the lead in joining the Institute, in order to achieve our national goals.
The Institute reckoned with Yemi-Esan as a risk averter having managed and mitigated risks, in her capacity as Permanent Secretary in various Federal Ministries and, most especially, in her leadership as the Head of the Federal Civil  Service. She is introducing risk management mechanisms to improve Service’s operational environment, hence the Investiture.