Public servants in Nigeria have been urged to make the best of opportunities the ongoing reform programmes and initiatives in the service will present to them so as to improve on their capacity and welfare.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan made the call while briefing Public Servants on the various activities and achievements of her office during a virtual interactive session on Tuesday, 27th October, 2020.
Dr. Yemi-Esan also enjoined the officers to look ahead, remain purpose-driven, dedicated and exhibit the highest level of transparency, professionalism, confidence as well as competence at all times.
During the briefing, the HOS said the meeting was necessitated in order to bring public servants up to speed on the progress of the numerous programmes and activities initiated by government which are geared towards the advancement of the service. The initiatives, which she pointed out, form the fulcrum of a “New Civil Service” include the Enterprise Content Management (ECM), Capacity Building, Performance Management System, Innovation in Service and Welfare of Civil Servants among others.
On ECM, the HoS revealed that over 300 work processes have been identified in Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) and some of these processes will be used in the ongoing digitalisation process.
She also informed that the office has organised an “end-user” training for personnel of16 MDAs on digitalization on ECMS. This is in addition to the development of the National Policy on Virtual Engagements in Federal Public Institutions in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
Dr. Yemi-Esan revealed that the arrangement for the training of 1,500 officers in the second batch of the Structured Mandatory Assessment-Based Training Programme (SMAT-P) has been concluded and expected to hold in November, 2020.
Still on capacity building, the Head of Service stated that the Office has concluded the second batch of induction training for 500 newly recruited Officers on Grade Levels 07-10, while the training of the third batch of 700 Officers is expected to hold in the first week of November, 2020.
Dr. Yemi-Esan also said the selection process for the Leadership Enhancement and Development Programme (LEAD-P)/Special Presidential Cohort training for civil servants on Salary Grades Level 10-14 has commenced. She said the target is to train at least 100 Officers annually.
In the area of Performance Management, the Office in conjunction with the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) started series of workshops on Job Objectives Setting for Officers in the Public Service. The first batch in the series was held for 150 Officers in the OHSCF in August, 2020. She further stated that Service-Wide training on Job Objectives Setting for an estimated number of 1,800 Officers drawn from 42 MDAs will start in November, 2020.
On the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), she said selected MDAs have received end-user and self-service trainings. The trainings are to enhance the user experience of Officers and reduce pressure on the IPPIS Office. There are also plans to conduct IPPIS Service-Wide verification for employees of Foreign Affairs in Nigerian foreign missions and HR Records Verification for Officers in non-core MDAs.
The Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation has also initiated programmes targeted at improving the well-being of its workers. These programmes include: Provision of Group Life Assurance cover for Federal Government employees in 48 MDAs for year 2020; Payment of some of the backlog of death benefits to next-of-kin of deceased civil servants for which the Head of Service informed the sum of N2.5Billion was recently released; Restructuring of Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) Programme for collaboration with the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board (FGSHLB) to provide mortgages for 139 profiled Off-takers in various Housing Estates constructed by private developers. The Office, she added, will also identify and partner with credible developers for the provision of affordable housing for civil servants.
The HOS emphasized that housing and transportation are key areas of staff welfare that would be given great attention. She therefore promised that plans for effective transport system for civil servants in Abuja and other States are in the pipeline.
In order to encourage Innovation in service and give an avenue for the sharing of ideas, Dr. Yemi-Esan stated that structures have been put in place to effectively support and sustain innovation.
To this end, the Office has initiated the establishment of the Service Innovation Department in the OHCSF while Service Innovation Divisions are to be domiciled in the Reform Coordination and Service Improvement Departments in all MDAs.
The HoS while speaking on the ongoing rehabilitation works at the Federal Secretariat complexes in Abuja stated that an infrastructure Department has been established in the OHCSF. The Department is in-charge of maintenance of the Secretariats.
Dr. Yemi-Esan concluded by emphasizing on the importance of collective work. She called on civil servants to continue to rise up to their expected responsibility of providing effective leadership and policies to create value in the delivery of services.
