By Stella Odueme
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation(HCSF), Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, on Wednesday canvassed professionalism, excellence and etiquette among protocol officers, public relations and information officers, as well as personal assistants to senior officers in the discharge of their duties.
She stated this in Abuja while declaring open the ongoing three-day service-wide protocol training programme for Protocol, Information, Public Relations Officers and Personal Assistants with the theme; “Professionalism in Protocol: Elevating Standards for Effective Service Delivery,” organised by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation(OHCSF) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to the Hosf, the training programne is to foster understanding of international protocol, etiquette and effective cross-cultural communication, appraise and apply protocol best practices, standards and strengthen collaboration across MDAs
Mrs. Walson-Jack who stressed the important role these officers play for efficiency in civil service delivery, noted they need requisite
skills and knowledge to excel in their line of duty.
While assuring that her office will continue to equip and support civil servant to attain excellent service delivery, she noted that capacity building and re-training among these officers is vital in view of the changing trends in the world to meet international standard.
Walson-Jack urged the participants to focus to the training, assuring that the resourced persons for the three-day training are carefully selected to impact the right knowledge and expose them to current international trends and standard.
“The role of protocol officers, public relations officers, information officers and personal assistants cannot be overstated. You serve as front-line representatives and interface with dignitaries, coordinate events and manage the media and also ensure effective communication. As a result, the need for professionalism, excellence and etiquette is imperative,” she said.
Also speaking, Ambassador Godknows Igali, former Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, who stressed that protocol is in the heart of good governance, noted that it is protocol officers who ensure orderliness and decorum in the
management of events and activities of their principals, thus underscoring the importance of the training.
Earlier, in her welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office in the OHCSF, Mrs. Fatima Mahmood, called on civil servant embrace the rudiments of protocol in the discharge of their duties.
According to her, protocol is central to effective service delivery just as professionalism is the hallmark of the civil service.
One of the facilitators and Chief of Protocol, Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ben
Okoyen, urged protocol officers to observe protocol rules and etiquette in the carrying out their duties.
