By Dele Ogbodo
The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), has organized a two-day retreat for its top management and departmental heads to bring the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, (HoSF), Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, up to speed with a comprehensive brief on the structure, key responsibilities, activities and challenges of the various offices.
It was also to chart the path to reinvigorating the service for a more robust, dynamic and efficient service delivery.
Speaking at the event held in Abuja recently, the HoSF appreciated the management and staff for their enormous contribution and dedication to the service.
In her words, “Your dedication and professionalism have been the bedrock of our civil service, and I am confident that, together, we can achieve even greater heights”, adding, that the staff should not only reflect on the achievements of the office recorded so far but also set new goals that will shape the future of the Federal civil service.
She said the retreat was timely and apt for her to hit the ground running in continuation of driving Mr President’s Renewed Hope Agenda programme which is also encapsulated in the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP-25) aimed at building a world-class civil service that is repositioned for effective and efficient service delivery to Nigerians.
Addressing participants at the interactive session, the HoSF said, “The task before us is immense, but so too is our collective ability to make a lasting impact. Let us work together to create a civil service that is not only efficient but also forward-thinking and dynamic.”
In achieving this, Walson-Jack stressed the need for workers to adapt to change and think outside the box in their approach by leveraging on innovation and creativity as essential tools for achieving success, assuring the staff of her support . “I am here to support you as you take on this challenge.” she added.
The HoSF further stated that there would be continuous training and re-training of staff to enhance their skills, competencies, and individual performances to meet the challenges of modern governance.
She also emphasized the need to accelerate Enterprise Content Management initiatives as the world is rapidly changing, with organizations shifting to digitalization to improve service delivery, reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, promote data-driven decision-making processes and derive the best value for money.
The HoSF promised to ensure that, “The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation would be a place where honesty is valued, divergent opinions are respected, and constructive dialogue is the norm.” She underscored the need to rebuild public confidence in order to improve on public perception of the Civil Service.
The HoS, assured that hard-work and dedication will be recognized and rewarded and staff welfare a priority in line with pillar 6 of the FCSSIP-25, which is aimed at enhancing value preposition for civil servants.
In his welcome address earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office, Mr Raymond Omachi, extolled the values the HoSF is bringing on board to stir the ship of the service.
He expressed confidence in her adaptive leadership style and urged participants to be objective in their deliberations and contribute favourably to all discussions.
The Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Agencies under the OHCSF presented detailed briefs of their activities, achievements, and challenges to the HoSF.
In his closing remarks, the Deputy Director of Planning in OHCSF, Mr Osagie Osaro, thanked the HoSF for the opportunity to dialogue with her. He also appreciated all participants for contributing favourably during the deliberation sessions.
The event was well attended by all the Permanent Secretaries and top management staff in her office, and the discussions were very robust and engaging.