Mr. Boss Mustapha, Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF), inaugurated an interministerial working team to review the National Strategy 2017-2020 on the reform of the civil service.
Nigeria‘s news agency reports that members of the team, inaugurated in Abuja on Tuesday, came from ministries, departments and agencies, as well as NGOs, media, the private sector and organizations. of civil society.
The SGF, which was represented by Political and Economic Affairs Secretary Andrew Adejo, said the team had eight weeks to submit its report.
He said the objective of the review was to strengthen the civil service to provide timely services to citizens, with integrity, transparency and accountability;
Mustapha added that the focus was on creating an appropriate environment to accelerate inclusive and sustained growth in all areas, including poverty reduction and inclusive participation of vulnerable groups in the governance process.
“Ensure strategic and efficient allocation and use of resources, budgetary discipline and value for money in a transparent and accountable manner through timely reporting.
“Revitalize and transform the public service into an efficient, productive, incorruptible and citizen-centered institution capable of implementing government policies and programs. “
He therefore urged the team to interact with the selected sector agencies for a detailed review of the strategy document and to organize technical meetings and sessions with stakeholders including development partners, NGOs, media, industry. private sector and civil society organizations.
Mustapha said the team would submit their report to the Steering Committee on Reforms, which he heads.
He commended the Civil Service Reform Office for its commitment to reposition the country’s civil service.
SGF noted that the public service remained the engine room of good governance and a real tool through which government policies and programs are implemented.
“It is in light of this that the President mandated civil service reform for more effective and efficient service delivery,” he added.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the General Service Office, Mr. Nnamdi Mbaeri, urged the team to come up with a document that would transform the country’s civil service into a world-class institution.
Earlier, the director general of the Civil Service Reform Office, Mr. Dasuki Arabi, said that the review was part of the government’s efforts to ensure the improvement of services provided to citizens.
According to Arabi, the members were selected on the basis of their experience and urged them to find ways to strengthen accountability and transparency in public administration, as well as measures to fight corruption at all levels of government. .
He added that the team should suggest ways to improve the planning, budgeting, monitoring, management and accounting systems in the civil service.
This, he said, would ensure that resources “are more precisely focused on priorities, that accountability is clear, spending is transparent and public spending is controlled more efficiently and prudently.”
The Director General said that emphasis should also be placed on the development of sustained economic growth, employment opportunities, social and human development in order to improve the quality of life of all citizens.
“They must ensure effective communication with all stakeholders and promote participation policy development, decision making and performance feedback.
“Improve the recruitment, retention, development, performance management, motivation and work ethic of civil servants by restoring the primacy of the merit principle, ensuring adequate remuneration and building the capacity of civil servants at all levels, ”Arabi said.
