By Stella Odueme
In a concerted effort to ensure that public servants across the country interact, share insights, and collectively participate in moving the Service forward, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, hosted the maiden service-wide virtual meeting tagged “Public Service Live”.
This unique engagement is part of activities to mark the HCSF’s 100 days of Stewardship in office. The historic event which will subsequently be held quarterly is to enable civil servants to collectively commit to progress, innovation, and excellence in service delivery.
In her maiden address, Walson-Jack described the Civil Service as the nation’s engine room of governance, with a pivotal role in delivering government policies and programmes to the citizenry.
She added that for the country to thrive, civil servants must be committed to professionalism, meritocracy, and accountability through the fast-tracking of reform initiatives to reposition the Federal Civil Service.
“These reforms are not mere buzzwords; they are a roadmap to building a Civil Service that efficiently serves people, innovates continuously, and operates with integrity. I assure you that we are committed to the path of creating a workforce that embodies our aspirations for a new Nigeria to be respected globally and trusted locally.” she declared.
The HCSF also described the establishment of the seven War Rooms dedicated to accelerating the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2022-2025 (FCSSIP 25) as a game changer designed to focus on each strategic pillar of the reforms and measure outcomes and progress through coordinated efforts.
She enjoined all civil servants to familiarize and align themselves with the six pillars of FCSSIP 25 to enhance productivity and efficiency in every Ministry, Department, and Agency (MDA) and take advantage of the expanded Leadership Enhancement and Development Programme (Lead-P) and the Structured Mandatory Assessment-Based Programme (Smart-P) to improve themselves.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation reiterated her commitment to drive the transformative journey of marching the Service to greatness with technology. She highlighted that some of the newly introduced technologies such as the Service-wise GPT, GovMall, and Online Compendium of Circulars are products of digitalization that will enhance the capabilities of civil servants.
Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack also emphasized rewards and recognition of excellence for deserving and outstanding officers. According to her, “In line with our efforts to foster a culture of excellence, we introduced initiatives to recognize and celebrate outstanding performance. “Today, I want to acknowledge the newly promoted directors. Your achievements are a testament to your hard work and dedication and I encourage you to lead by example as we continue this transformation journey.” She declared.
The live event was very robust and engaging with over 700 registered civil servants participating online. It was a unique opportunity for officers to ask the HCSF questions and seek clarifications on issues affecting their work, welfare, and areas of exploring mutual benefit and commitment to the service.
