By Joyce Remi- Babayeju
Minister of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mallam Muhammad Musa Bello, has tasked civil servants to make policies that would reposition the entire civil service and strengthen good governance.
Bello gave this advice while declaring open the 43rd meeting of the National Council on Establishments (NCE) on Thursday, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
He also commended Civil Servants particularly those from the nation’s capital for working tirelessly in the last three decades in beautifying and building the capital city of the dream of the founding fathers.
The minister who was glad to be selected to host the 43rd NCE described the Civil Service of the Federation as the bastion of stability and solidity upon which successive governments relied on for formulation and implementation of policies, as well as extant rules.
He added that as the custodian of institutional memory, civil servants are in the best position to reposition the service with a view to impacting positively on the quality of governance.
The Minister, who declared the meeting open, also charged participants to avail themselves the opportunity to interact to boost their knowledge.
He commended the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan for bringing about revolutionary changes in the Service and urged all Civil Servants to do their best in implementing the innovative changes.
In the same vein he called on the Heads of Civil Service of States to also introduce positive changes in their respective states to improve the life of Nigerians.
Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs Folasade Yemi-Esan, said that the meeting is an annual event aimed at brainstorming on matters affecting governance at all levels.
She also reiterated commitment to earlier resolutions that only academic qualifications should be used for appointment into civil service.
She encouraged Civil Servants to engage in information Communication and Technology, ICT and Agricultural value Chain.
Mrs Yemi Esan further noted that the office of the Head of Service is Committed in partnering with all the Head of Service across the thirty six states of the Federation to enable them key into new policies of government.
Other past resolutions of the meeting according to the Head of Service of the Federation included provision that five percent of employment opportunities in the federal civil service should be reserved for physically challenged persons.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on establishment and Public Service, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau in a like manner charged civil servants to remain committed to exemplary conduct.
Shekarau also.emphazied that Civil Service across the thirty six states of the Federation are the engine room of any successive government.
