The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoSF), Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, CFR, has affirmed that her Office is working assiduously towards actualising the full digitalisation of work processes and flows for guaranteed open government across Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies (MDAs). She made this disclosure on Tuesday, July 25, 2023 in Abuja, at a Parley with Media Executives, heralding the 2023 Civil Service Week. This was contained in a statement signed by M. A. Ahmed, Director, Communications.
According to Dr. Yemi-Esan, CFR, the aim of the Parley is to give significant updates and insights into how the Service has fared, as it is undergoing numerous transformations, as well as to get useful feedbacks that will put the Office on its toes towards achieving its mandates for the betterment of the country.
Disclosing the theme for the 2023 Civil Service Week, which is “Digitalisation of Work Processes in the Public Service: A Gateway to Efficient Resource Utilization and National Development,” she noted that it was chosen in recognition of the multi-dimensional applications of digital technology in e-learning, information storage, automation, social connectivity and, particularly e-Government.
Speaking further, the HoSF said that her Office is working towards achieving a minimum of 50% functional official email addresses being created in the Service by 2025, minimum of 40% automation of Ministries’ work processes, minimum of 60% access to government’s services online, provision of clean, reliable, affordable, and sustainable power supply to ensure the optimalisation of the digitalisation policy.
Others include the deployment of Performance Management System (PMS) by 2025 for the attainment of national goals, achieving 80% increase in accountability by employees and compliance to rules and regulations by 2025 and ensuring that all MDAs are ISO 9001:2015 certified. Also, 100% Public Service HR Management on IPPIS for enhanced efficiency, productivity and waste reduction, full management of IPPIS by Civil Servants, sustenance of the process of comprehensive enrolment and verification of Officers at the point of entry unto the IPPIS platform , establishment of a world-class innovation hub to assist Civil Servants with innovative ideas, amongst others.
The Head of Service of the Federation reiterated that during the 2022 Civil Service Week, the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025 (FCSSIP 25), was formally presented, with six thematic areas; Capability Building and Talent Management, Performance Management System (PMS), IPPIS – Human Resource, Innovation, Digitalisation, and Enhanced Value Proposition for Civil Servants, designed to put in place mechanisms for the re-engineering of the Service for increased productivity, quality service delivery, as well as remaining professional and globally competitive.
Dr. Yemi-Esan, CFR spoke extensively on the gains recorded, thus far, in the implementation of FCSSIP25 to include the training of 6,007 Officers on Salary Grade Levels (SGLs) 07-17, under the Structured Mandatory Assessment-based Training Programme (SMAT-P), institutionalisation of the Leadership Enhancement and Development Programme (LEAD-P), introduction of Computer-Based Test (CBT) for the Combined Promotion (COMPRO) examination. Others are the launch of a fully functional Performance Management Department (PMD) to operationalise PMS, Service wide, verification of 69,854 Officers across core MDAs in the FCT and the six (6) geo-political zones, under the HR Module of the IPPIS, sustenance of the annual innovation competition/challenge since the maiden edition in 2020, development of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in all MDAs, disbursement of about 6,500 loan facilities to Public Servants between 2015 and June, 2023, the launch of the Federal Public Service Entrepreneurship Programme (FPSEP), to mention a few.
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The Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office, OHCSF, Mrs Lydia Shehu Jafiya, mni, in welcoming the Transformative Permanent Secretaries and Media Executives to the event, stressed that the Office recognises the efficacy of effective communication, hence the gathering, meant to highlight modest achievements recorded, as well as kick-start this year’s week-long activities. She eulogized the Media for their continued partnership with the Office.
During the interactive session with the Media, the Media Executives appreciated the efforts of the OHCSF, under the able leadership of Dr. Yemi-Esan, CFR, in repositioning the Service and giving a face-lift to our country. The session featured several questions and comments boarding on seamless pension administration and payment system for retirees, clarifications on IPPIS’s payment delays, capacity building for Media personnels to be able to report from an informed angle, embargo on employment, subsidy removal and measures put in place to ameliorate its effect on the Civil Servants, late payment of salaries, ASUU and IPPIS harmonisation, amongst others. Satisfactory responses were provided by the HoCSF, Permanent Secretaries and the Accountant -General of the Federation.
In a Vote of Thanks, the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, OHCSF, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi commended the Head of Service for her resilience. He also extended his gratitude to his colleagues, the Transformative Permanent Secretaries for gracing the occasion. He equally appreciated Members of the Fourth Estate of the Realm for their active participation, makes the Parley a huge success.