By Stella Odueme
Following the appointment and the swearing-in of the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the Federal Executive Council meeting, the out-gone HoSF, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, has officially handed over the baton of leadership to her with the promise to fast track reforms in the service.
In her Acceptance Speech, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, OON, mni thanked God Almighty for taking her to the pinnacle of her career. She also appreciated Mr. President for the trust and confidence reposed in her to serve the nation, promising to honour the achievements of her predecessors by continuing and fast tracking ongoing reform initiatives in the Service.
While reiterating the maximum use of technology in driving transformation in the Service, the new Head of Service promised to maintain, enforce and deploy the core principles of the Service namely; Accountability, Meritocracy, Professionalism, Loyalty and Efficiency (AMPLE) in all her dealings.
She, however, beckoned on all stakeholders and Civil Servants to support the Vision and Mission of the Service toward the realisation of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present Administration.
Earlier, the retiring HoSF, Dr. Yemi-Esan, CFR, prayed God to sustain her successor and give her the necessary strength and wisdom to excel, in the overall interest of the Service and Nigeria, in general.
It would be recalled that on Monday, 12th August, 2024, President Tinubu, before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, swore in the newly appointed HoSF. At the occasion, Mr. President admonished her to serve the nation with integrity and transparency.
Mrs. Walson-Jack holds a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987.
She started her Civil Service career as a State Counsel in Rivers State in 1992, rising to the position of Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice in Bayelsa State.
The HoSF joined the Federal Civil Service in 2009 and was appointed as Permanent Secretary in 2017. She served in several MDAs, including the OHCSF, Niger Delta Affairs,Power, Water Resources and Sanitation and, lately, Education.
During her tour of duty at the OHCSF, as the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office (SWO), she is credited with initiatives such as the creation of the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) programme and immersed contributions to labour relations and the national minimum wage.
The HoSF is a recipient of the National Honour of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) and an alumna of the prestigious National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru. Her wealth of experience and dedication to the Service and country, at large, are testimonies to her numerous roles and achievements.
She is the author of the novel, ‘Roses in the Thorns’ and is happily married with children.
