More tough policies will be implemented to reposition government for productivity — President Tinubu
…Insists removal of fuel subsidy is yielding positive results
…Adopting digitalisation in public service is the gateway to efficient resource utilization — Tinubu tells Civil Servants
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has informed Nigerians to anticipate more tough policies describing it as needful to reposition governance for efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity.
This is despite the existing policy of the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit which has already occasioned hardship on Nigerians and the slow pace deployment of palliatives to cushion the effects.
President Tinubu represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Senator George Akume at the Gala/Award Night to mark the 2023 Civil Service Week, in Abuja solicited support for the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration while assuring Nigerians of a rosy future despite present sufferings.
“The first two policies that I announced during my inauguration, namely the removal of the fuel subsidy and the new forex regime, are already yielding positive results. We have received support and commendation from the global community for our courage in introducing these policy shifts.
“We shall, without delay, cushion the pains we experience by our people as a result of these measures, through a number of work targeted policy interventions aimed at giving adequate relief and succor to the great number of our long-suffering citizens,” he said.
President Tinubu while commending the Head of Service for adopting digitalisation in the public service, he noted that digitalistion is the gateway to efficient resource utilization.
He said the challenges faced in Nigeria leave no option to continue on the analog front.
Describing digitalisation as a compelling choice, he said the civil service is the fulcrum for governance, adding that there must be a paradigm shift to make policy-making and governance seamless.
He said, “It is in this regard that I am pleased to note that adopting digitalisation of web processes in the public service is the gateway to efficient resource utilisation and national development, and it is apt and appropriate for this commoneration.
“The challenges we face today with governance leave no option to continue on the analog front. The task before us as a people and government are daunting, but the process of success is promising if we make the right choices. Digitalisation is a compelling choice, and we must take it. The expectations of the civil service this year are full; this is so because the expectations of this administration for the civil service are full. This is so because the civil service is the fulcrum for governance; our vision and mission are predicated on the instrumentation, policies, and programs to spur the National Economic multidimensional front.
“Many tough but needful policy and paradigm shifts will be in place to reposition governance for efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity. To match the expectations of this administration, the civil service must increase its reforms, set under the six pillars of the federal civil service strategy, and implementation plan 2021 to 2025 must be focused and attained.”
Earlier, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, enjoined all Ministries, extra-Ministerial Agencies, and Parastatals on the need to ensure that the Rewards and Recognition Scheme (R&RS) in the Civil Service are implemented in a timely, clear, transparent and inclusive manner.
She reiterated that Scheme is a globally recognised and accepted practice, which has been institutionalised in the Federal Civil Service as one of the critical deliverables of Pillar Six of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025 (FCSSIP 25) – Enhancing Value Proposition for Civil Servants.
According to her, for the first time in the history of Nigeria, the OHCSF no longer works with paper, resulting in remarkable time and cost savings.
She said that apart from digitalisation, the groundwork for the implementation of the Performance Management System, PMS, is going on, signaling the phasing out of the old APER system of assessment.
She stated that the just launched revised Public Service Rules, PSRs, are more practicable and are going to strengthen the system, enhance performance, as well as foster growth.
She added that the Service is witnessing tremendous improvement in initiating and implementing policies, plans, and reforms under its present leadership.
High points of the event are the announcement of the three top prizes as follows: the Star Prize of a Brand New 2022 JAC JS4 Luxury Model SUV won by Mrs. Juwon Olayiwola of the Federal Ministry of Education; a 2-Bedroom Semi-Detached Bungalow won by Mr. Nwachukwu of Service Welfare Office, OHCSF; and the 3rd price, a Plot of Land, allocated to Mrs. Chukweke Stella Oluchi, Office of the Secretary- to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).
Some Permanent Secretaries and Directors were also presented with Letters of Commendation for outstanding performance in implementing the FCSSIP 25. They are the Permanent Secretaries, Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Earnest Umakhihe, Finance, Budget and National Planning (Finance), Mr. Aliyu Ahmed, Water Resources.
Others are Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, Science Technology and Innovation, Mr. James Sule, Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani and the Director, Information and Communication Technology-OHCSF, Mr. Adeniyi Dada.
