Report from the Federal Civil Service Commission.
The Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Deaconess Joan O. Ayo has described the current administration of the FCSC under her leadership as credible disciplined and impartial. She stated this during an interactive session with journalists to thank them for their support and have a recap of the success made within the outgoing year.
Deaconess Ayo argued that the Commission is better than what it was before the arrival of her team. This, she noted is because of the high regard that the current leadership has for the Civil Service Core Values. She said before now, promotion was not done on annual bases, there was indiscriminate transfer of service and proper placement as well as poor handling of disciplinary cases. All of these the Chairman noted hindered proper career progression of the Federal Civil Servants adding that all these maladies are being corrected.
On the 2014 promotions examinations the Chairman maintained that all machineries which included the involvement of security agencies were put in place to ensure that it was done in line with world standard. She further said that as an organization that is a member of the All African Public Service Commission of which Nigeria is the Vice President, and also a member of the World body with headquarters in New York City, the FCSC cannot afford to operate below standard. She disclosed that in 2012, 32% of the candidates that sat for the promotion exams passed, in 2013 ,69.47% made it while in 2014, 69% passed.
When she was asked why 10 names of candidates were added to the initial 20 that were said to have passed the directorate exams, the Chairman explained that only 20 vacancies were earlier declared by the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation for the directorate level.
“The additional ten vacancies that were later declared needed to be authenticated by the current Head of Service who was then abroad on official duty as the vacancies existed before he assumed duty. However, this clearance was made on the return of the Head of Service and the ten additional names were added from the list of those candidates who sat and passed the examinations in order of their performance.”
The Chairman said, contrary to the rumour being peddled by some candidates that failed the exams, the results of the examinations are with the State Security Service, SSS and challenged any one with doubt to go and verify. She also vouched for the integrity of her commissioners saying that no one collected money from anybody that sat for the promotion exercise.
Apart from the promotion exercise, other achievements made in the year include the recruitment of 1774 candidates into the Civil Service; the successful celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Civil Service; conduct of the 42nd Annual Conference of the Civil Service Commissions of Nigeria; participation in the Conference of All African Public Service Commission APPSCOM and execution of over 100 disciplinary cases.
On training, the Chairman said, though it is not the direct responsibility of the Commission, her administration through collaboration with the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation has made mandatory training on one grade level part of the performance contract.
