… outlines achievements
By Stella Odueme
As she reeled out various initiatives to reposition and move the Nigerian Federal Civil Service forward, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Ndidi Esther Walson-Jack on Monday vowed to leave the Federal Civil Service better than she met it with transformational innovations to world class service.
Mrs Walson-Jack stated this during the first 100 Days press conference with the theme; `“Marching to Greatness: Celebrating 100 Days” in Abuja where she highlighted her achievements since assumption of office as HoSF.
“As I reflect on these achievements, I am mindful that our journey has only just
begun. The work of transforming the Federal Civil Service is a continuous process, one
that requires dedication, collaboration, and resilience. I am deeply committed to
ensuring that the Civil Service I leave behind is better than the one I met, just as my
predecessor did before me.
“To every civil servant, every stakeholder, and every Nigerian, I urge you to join
us on this journey. Together, we can build a Civil Service that is innovative, efficient,
and truly responsive to the needs of the people it serves.
“I express my heartfelt gratitude to God Almighty for His grace, which has sustained and
guided us to this point. It is by His divine wisdom and favor that we are gathered here
today to reflect on our journey thus far.
” I also thank His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, for the
confidence reposed in me by appointing me to serve in this esteemed role. This trust is
a privilege and a responsibility that I embrace with unwavering commitment. To my
dedicated staff, the Body of Super Transformative Permanent Secretaries, and the entire
Civil Service community, your support, resilience, and dedication have been
instrumental in driving the progress we have made.
“To the Media Executives and their
correspondents, our Partners and all present here today, thank you for taking the time to
engage with the work we are doing to transform the Federal Civil Service into a more
efficient and innovative institution.”
The HoSF described her first 100 days in office is a significant milestone as it offers an opportunity to
reflect on the achievements recorded, perform a thorough audit of progress, and identify
the goals ahead.
” It is also a time to pause and acknowledge the challenges we face, as
well as reaffirm our shared resolve to overcome them. Today’s event is not just about
celebrating milestones but also about fostering transparency, sharing our vision for the
future, and ensuring that every Nigerian understands the importance of the reforms we
are undertaking in the Federal Civil Service.
“Since assuming office on 14 August 2024, my commitment has been clear: to
fast-track, accelerate and sustain the reforms outlined in the Federal Civil Service
Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP 25).
“This strategy is the
blueprint for transforming the Civil Service into a professional, efficient, and globally
competitive institution. To this end, we set up and inaugurated seven “war rooms,” each
dedicated to overseeing one of the six pillars of the FCSSIP reforms and the enablers.
“These war rooms ensure that no initiative is neglected, and that progress is both
measurable and impactful.”
She outlined some of her achievements and developments as the need for a cultural shift within the Civil Service through
publication and dissemination of the Federal Civil Service Anthem and the Culture
Change Video; service-wide
meeting with Permanent Secretaries to align on priorities, share insights, and foster unity
in purpose across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs); collaboration which she said has been at the ‘heart of our efforts”, among others.
“Early in my tenure, I met with
the Senate and House Committee on Public Service Matters and later held an interactive
session with the House of Representatives Committee on Public Service Matters.
“These initiatives are not merely symbolic; they stand for our collective
aspiration to instill a renewed sense of purpose, integrity, and pride in the Service of our
nation.
“These
engagements allowed me to present our reform agenda, solicit their feedback, and
ensure legislative support for key initiatives.
“At the international level, I had the privilege of meeting with the United
Kingdom’s Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service, Rt. Hon. Simon Case.
” This
engagement opened avenues for collaboration, including capacity building and the
exchange of best practices that will strengthen the Federal Civil Service. This productive
discussion was complemented by my meeting with the British High Commissioner, Dr.
Richard Montgomery where we discussed the expansion of cooperation in Civil Service
reforms aimed at enhancing productivity and governance in both nations.”
” I also represented Nigeria in the United Nations General Assembly in New York,
where I delivered a speech on Agenda Item 22 (Eradication of Poverty) and Item 24
(Agriculture, Food Security, and Nutrition). These opportunities have enabled us to
showcase Nigeria’s commitment to global development goals and to learn from
international best practices.
“In addition to this, I held a crucial Town Hall meeting with the joint unions
representing civil servants. This dialogue was an opportunity to listen to their concerns,
address key issues affecting the workforce, and foster a spirit of collaboration between
management and labour. The partnership we are building with the unions is vital to
ensuring that the needs and welfare of civil servants are prioritised as we implement
reforms.
“In pursuit of internal alignment, I convened retreats with the top management
staff of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and held a broader
retreat with Permanent Secretaries across the service.
“Recognising the need for unity and shared learning, I spearheaded an initiative to
collaborate with State Heads of Service going forward. This collaboration aims to foster
a harmonised approach to improving service delivery at both Federal and State levels.
“Recognising the importance of partnerships, I have received courtesy visits and
engaged with various key stakeholders, including the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, the
World Bank, the Country Director of the United Nations Development Programme,
African Development Bank and the Nigerian Consumer Credit Corporation.
“These
interactions have strengthened collaboration and enhanced our capacity to deliver
impactful reforms.
” We also launched the Performance Management System Day in Ministries,
Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to reinforce accountability and encourage a results-
oriented culture. This initiative ensures that every Civil Servant is motivated to perform
optimally and that their contributions are recognised and rewarded.
“As part of our efforts to modernise the Civil Service, we launched the Nigeria
Federal Civil Service Online Academy an e-learning platform designed to empower
Civil Servants with the knowledge and skills needed for their roles. Alongside this, the
Service Wise GPT—a digital repository of information about the Civil Service—has
been developed to serve as a vital resource for both seasoned officers and new entrants.”
She said that to enhance communication and efficiency, her office have launched GovMail, an
official email platform for all Civil Servants to streamline workflows
and improve the overall effectiveness of operations.
” We have also launched the
Online Compendium of Circulars, a Service-wide circular portal designed to make
Circulars easily accessible to every Civil Servant. These developments are in line with
the commitments made on my assumption of office to ensure that technology drives the
repositioning of the Civil Service for greater service delivery.
“The adoption of the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system is another
transformative step. Several MDAs, including the Budget Office of the Federation, the
Federal Ministry of Finance, the Federal Ministry of Transport, the Federal Ministry of
Communication, Innovation and Digital Economy and the State House, have already
gone live on the ECM, with training ongoing to ensure seamless integration across the
service.”
One of the highlights of the briefing was the launch of the” Civil Service News” and the Service Welfare Newsletter publications.
