From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abujq
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, has stressed the importance of meritocracy, integrity, and public trust to the pioneer Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory Civil Service Commission (FCT-CSC), Emeka Eze, and his team of Commissioners.
According to a statement issued by Director of Communication, Mohammed Ahmed, she have the charge during a courtesy visit by the FCT-CSC members, led by Ezeh, on Tuesday, May 7th, 2024, in Abuja.
Yemi-Esan urged the Commission to view their appointment as a call to service, highlighting the urgency for immediate action to meet the nation’s expectations. She emphasized the need for the FCT-CSC to innovate and set a solid foundation for future civil service operations, stressing the importance of selecting top talent through a digital recruitment platform.
Drawing inspiration from successful civil service models in countries like India and Singapore, Dr. Yemi-Esan encouraged the Commission to implement transformative reforms for impactful changes.
“As pioneers of FCT Civil Service Commission, you need to think outside the box by looking at the deliverables as pioneers, because it is the foundation you lay today that others will follow, let us be courageous to do things differently and correctly, because we cannot get the Nigeria we need without proper structure” she stated.
“I will advise that you have to start your selection process for recruitment into the service on a digital platform, in performing your responsibilities, make sure the best brains are brought into the service, because the foundation matters a lot.
“It is important for us to do things differently, if we understand employment and know what to be done, we’ll do things differently” she opined.
In response, Eze expressed gratitude for the ongoing reforms within the Federal Civil Service and sought guidance from Yemi-Esan to establish the FCT-CSC as a model Civil Service Commission nationally and internationally.
Recognising the pivotal role of technology in modernizing the civil service, he said the FCT-CSC has embraced digital transformation with the establishment of a dedicated ICT Department. This strategic move aligns with the broader shift towards e-governance, enhancing efficiency, productivity, and communication within the service.
“We have therefore come to benefit from your fountain of wisdom, motherly guidance, and advice on how we can establish the FCT-CSC as a model Civil Service Commission in Nigeria, Africa and beyond.
“We are not oblivious of the great impacts such initiatives as the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025(FCSSIP-25), Standard Operating Procedures and e-governance has made in service delivery.
“The Nigerian civil service has progressively gone digital with the deployment of e-governance architecture leading to seamless, paperless, effective, timesaving and highly productive communication in the service” he stated.