The Nigerian Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has revealed plans to invest heavily in development of its personnel beginning from the third quarter of 2021.
The Permanent Secretary, Mr Olusade Adesola, stated this in Abuja when a delegation of the 57th Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, led by its President, Mrs Comfort Eyitayo paid a courtesy visit to the FCTA.
The Permanent secretary said, this is part of efforts to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of staff of the FCTA for optimum service delivery to residents and Nigerians in general.
Mr. Adesola added that, the Nigerian Civil Service which is the engine room of government has undergone a paradigm shift from what it used to be to a digitally driven one, run by highly intelligent and reputable officers.
He therefore canvassed for the need to lubricate the system for sustainability of the highly digitalized and proficient Civil Service through constant up scaling of the skills and capacity of officers.
According to him, “the Civil Service is no longer what it used to be. Today, when some people come around, they ask, civil servants, you are proficient in computer like this? Today, we are building a Civil Service that is run by persons of repute, who know what it takes to run the administration.
“Just as you know, the Civil Service is the engine room of government and if the engine is faulty, the whole system cannot function well. So you must support the engine to keep it well lubricated. So that its operation can be effective and efficient. Therefore, we have to upscale our skills periodically and that is why we are investing heavily this year in the development of our personnel”, he added.
The Permanent Secretary further disclosed that in order to ensure that the trainings giving to staff add value to the system, the Administration will prioritize partnership with some established Government Agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations, such as Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Centre for Management Development (CMD), Public Service Institute of Nigeria, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), among others.
On the proposed ICAN International Convention Centre in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary remarked that having such Centre in Abuja, has the capacity to boost the tourism potentials of the Territory and the country at large, besides galvanizing other major developments to the country.
The Permanent Secretary assured the President that the FCT Administration and the Institute will continue to deepen its relationship for mutual benefit of both organizations.
Earlier, the President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mrs. Comfort Eyitayo noted that the essence of the visit was to introduce herself as the new President of the Institute and also to pledge the Institute’s commitment to work closely with the FCT Administration for the symbiotic benefit of both organizations.
Mrs. Eyitayo further used the opportunity to thank the Permanent Secretary for working with the Minister of the FCT, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello and the FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu to ensure prudent management of the Administration’s resources.
The ICAN President further reminded the Permanent Secretary of the earlier request of the Institute to be allocated thirty hectares of land in Abuja for the purpose of building the Institute International Convention Centre.
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