The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan

  • Open letter to Head of the Civil Service of the Federation

    Open letter to Head of the Civil Service of the Federation

    SIR: In April 2021, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, announced the use of only academic qualifications for entry into the Civil/Public Service of the Federation by her Circular Ref. No. HCSF/SPSO/ODD/NCE/CND.100/S.10/III/104 dated 12th April 2021. The circular states that professional certificates shall no longer serve as entry qualifications into any cadre in the Civil/Public Service and that consequently only academic qualifications such as Junior and Senior Secondary School Certificates (WASC/SSCE), NECO, GCE, ND, NCE, HND, University Degrees and Post Graduate Degrees shall apply. The circular goes further to state that professional certificates already in the Schemes of Service shall, in the interim, serve as a condition for promotion from SGL 13 to SGL 14, in addition to the criteria prescribed in the Public Service Rules and Guidelines for Appointment, Promotion and Discipline in the Service.

    Admittedly, this circular has some innovative provisions that will propel the Service to greater heights; however, we noted with dismay that those charged with implementation of the circular in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) have given various interpretations of the message of the circular, thereby stretching the truth. One of the interpretations given to this circular is that an accountant already in the Service who possesses a university degree in accounting and later a professional qualification of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria cannot be advanced into SGL 10 in the Civil/Public Service. This is not in line with the extant rules for advancement within the Accountant Cadre in the Scheme of Service. When a circular speaks in vagaries, its interpretation is usually left to the whims and caprices of those charged with its implementation and the main brunt of the interpretation fall on the civil servants. However, if this interpretation is allowed to survive, it will cause employees to lose motivation to attain professional proficiency and turn the public service into a theatre of mediocrities.

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    To my understanding, the message of this circular is that professionals, including ICAN members, will no longer be considered for employment in the Civil/Public Service without them having a first degree as it used to be. The circular goes further to state that, in the interim, professional certificates already in the Schemes of Service shall be a condition for promotion from SGL 13 to SGL 14. This, to my understanding, means that a Bachelor’s degree holder cannot advance beyond SGL 13 in the Public Service without a professional certificate. I also consider this requirement an effort to confer superiority to Bachelor’s degrees in some disciplines. For instance, those on Administrative Officer Cadre in some MDAs advance beyond SGL 13 with their Bachelor’s degrees without any additional academic or professional qualification.

    I therefore implore the Head of Civil Service of the Federation to either confirm or reject the interpretation that an accountant already in the Civil Service who possesses a university degree in Accounting and later a professional qualification of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria cannot be advanced to SGL 10 by the import of this circular. I am also using this opportunity to urge the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation not to ignore the manner extant Establishment rules and circulars are flouted by those saddled with their implementation.

    • Azeez Olaolu K. (FCA) kolaolu2010@gmail.com
  • FG warns civil servants against leaking sensitive documents

    FG warns civil servants against leaking sensitive documents

    The federal government, through the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, has issued a stern warning to civil servants over the leakage of important documents in the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

    The presidency had recently called for an investigation into the civil service framework to eliminate individuals it refers to as “moles” who are loyal to the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), claiming that the moles are allegedly responsible for the unauthorized disclosure of classified documents.

    However, Folasade Yemi-Esan, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, warned of severe punishment for anyone caught in the act of leaking government memos.

    The warning was issued in a circular, dated February 19, 2024, and addressed to the president, Chief of Staff to the President, Ministers, Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Office of the Vice-President, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, all Permanent Secretaries, Service Chiefs/Inspector-Generai of Police, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission, and Chairman, Police Service Commission.

    The circular titled ‘Measures to curtail the leakage of sensitive official information/documents in Ministries, Departments and Agencies’ was also addressed to the Accountant-General of the Federation, Auditor-General for the Federation, Surveyor-General of the Federation, Chief Registrar, Supreme Court of Nigeria Directors-General and Chief Executives of Parastatals/Agencies.

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    Others copied in the circular are the Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau, Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal Chairman, Federal Character Commission, Chairman, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation & Fiscal Commission, Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, Chairman, Federal inland Revenue Service, Chairman National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Clerk of the National Assembly, and Secretary, National Judicial Council.

    The circular reads: “It has been observed with dismay, the increase in the cases of leakage of sensitive official documents in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA).

    “This is very embarrassing to the Government and therefore unacceptable. As part of the efforts to curb this undesirable development, all Permanent Secretaries are to fast-track the migration to the digitalised workflow system and ensure effective deployment of the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Solution.

    “This will reduce physical contact with official documents thereby checking the increasing incidence of leakage and circulation of same.

    “Furthermore, Permanent Secretaries are advised to strongly warn all staff against leaking and circulating official information and documents. Any officer caught engaging in such an unbecoming act will be severely dealt with in line with the relevant provisions of the Public Service Rules and other extant circulars.

    “This circular therefore reinforces the circular on “Unauthorized Circulation of Official Documents/Information on Social Media.”

    “Permanent Secretaries are to ensure strict compliance with the contents of this circular and draw the attention of the Heads of the agencies under their supervision to same.”

  • Boosting federal civil service delivery

    For two days last week in Abuja, senior civil servants in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, among others were trained on innovation to boost their service delivery. EMEKA UGWUANYI reports

    For two days, senior civil servants in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) had their skills honed, courtesy of the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), conjunction with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

    The training on Radical Innovation held in Abuja for 80 senior civil servants across the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

    The Acting Head of Service, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, said the training was aimed at developing a more innovative civil service for improved service delivery via dedicated innovation units.

    She recalled that one of the eight priority areas in the 2017 to 2020 Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP) is to drive innovation in the service.

    She said the Head of Service Project Management Team on Innovation was embarking on the establishment of a Service Innovation Department and Service Innovation Units in all the MDAs, as well as an innovation campaign to raise awareness on Innovation in the public sector.

    She thanked the OPTS for supporting the implementation of the programme, which she described as the “first of its kind in the Nigerian public sector”.

    OPTS Chairman, Mr. Paul McGrath, commended the OHCSF for the  civil service reform aimed at better performance and improved service delivery.

    McGrath, represented at the event by Mr. Lorenzo Fiorillo, the Vice Chairman of OPTS, said OPTS members, were delighted by the OHCSF for upgrading the horizon of civil servants in technology.

    He said: “We are delighted to identify with the leadership and staff of the Federal Civil Service in this effort to build a modern public service and to support OHSCF in the provision of a world-class training programme as part of the activities under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP) 2017-2020.

    “I trust that this training, delivered by one of the world’s leading training institutions, will go a long way in supporting the OHSCF in achieving her aspirations to become an organisation that provides world-class service for sustainable national development.”

    The OPTS chairman called for efforts to create a vibrant oil and gas industry by ensuring the security of lives and property, maintaining stable laws and policies, respecting contract sanctity and fair mechanisms for timely dispute resolution, developing sustainable local capacity and removing structural factors that increase costs.

    The training was facilitated by Prof. Sanjay Sarma, Vice President, Opening Learning and Prof. Bhaskar Pant, Executive Director, Professional Education of the MIT.

    Pant said the training was the first professional programme being held in Africa, under the MIT Africa Initiative, which seeks to be engaged in the development of universities as well as the public and private sectors in Africa.

    The training culminated in an innovation conference held at the NationalUniversities Commission Auditorium, Abuja. It was attended by directors and permanent secretaries across the MDAs.