Training key in upholding core values of productive workforce — Perm Sec.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works and Housing (FMWH), Mr Babangida Hussaini, says training is key to upholding core values of any productive workforce.
Hussaini said this at a one-day Sentisation Seminar on Deployment of Ethics and Compliance Scorecard/System Study and Review’ organised by the Anti-corrupt and Transparency Unit (ACTU) FMWH on Wednesday, in Abuja.
According to him, the training the workshop is meant to refresh the minds of staff in the ministry, regarding the core values that drive the present administration’s desire for transforming the service.
“And one of the core values which this administration has made its own point of reference all the time is about corruption and corrupt tendencies in ministries, departments and agencies.
“Mr President alluded to this when he said, if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. And I think, that has encapsulated the thinking and the mind of Mr President in addressing the issue of corruption.
“Here in this ministry, is a cost centred ministry, a lot of activities, procurement and other related management functions needed to be properly contextualised in such a way that such tendencies are eliminated to the bearest minimum.
“It is important for any productive work force, to be trained, reminded and refreshed all the time, regarding the need to hold this core values in the discharge of their duties and activities.
“So, that officers can be brought to appreciate the need to uphold this core values and the ethics of what transformative service is all about, Corruption-free selfless, dedicated and committed and I think these are what the training was all about,” Hussaini said.
Hussaini, therefore, urged the ACTU division to be up and about in pursuing evaluation and impact, that would serve as an input for subsequent follow-up training where gaps are identified and a new training programme could be put in place to bridge those gaps.
Mr Kennedy Ebhotemen, Assistant, Commissioner, Systems and Process Department, Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Offenses(ICPC), who spoke on System Study and Review’ processes, said this process is preventive in the fight against corruption.
He said there were areas in organisations that were prone to corruption.
Such areas he said were finance and accounts department, procurement, and store, issuance and license, permit, recruitment.
The resource person said it was the duty of the Anti Corruption Unit to look at the systems and see if any area had been compromised.
He identified some features of corrupt procedures as a sense of effective disciplinary measures, excessive power by an individual, difficulty in obtaining information
“That an Organisation is vulnerable to corruption does not imply that the operators of the system re corrupt.
“Rather there is the likelihood that individuals could exploit the loopholes in the system to their advantage. ACTU should discreetly follow disciplinary procedures to ensure that rules and guidelines of ICPC are followed.
On his part, Dr Jaiye-OlaAkinfipe, Fellow Chartered Institute of Public Diplomacy and Management, spoke on Sensitivity, Adherences to Ethics, Values and Code of Conduct said the ethics in public service is based on fairness transparency, efficiency and no conflict of interest.
He added that ethics and values remain foundamental and indispensable to functional development of human conscience
He, therefore, called for an urgent need by all to accept to transform by ethics and values from our individual attitudes.
He added that “ethics of the public and civil service should never be relegated to the background as it is what guide us. Without public service, there will be no government.”
