Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan has said that the present and future of the Nigerian Public Service lies in digitalisation, as a veritable tool for its effective functioning.
This she said at a Public lecture in commemoration of the 2023 Civil Service Week in Abuja, Nigeria.
She emphasised that digitalisation is key in the delivery of prompt, Citizen-centric and cost-effective public services.
Taking a cue from the theme of the African Public Service Day, “The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will require a fit-for-purpose African public administration to succeed”, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation in Nigeria, Folashade Yemi-Esan said the theme for Nigeria’s 2023 Civil Service week “Digitalisation of Work Processes in the Public Service: A Gateway to Efficient Resource Utilisation and National Development”, was chosen in recognition of the cardinal role digital technology plays in today’s world of work, especially in evolving a capable Public Service.
“Invariably, this theme interrogates intra-African trade and productivity of the continent against the backdrop of the ambitious aspirations of Agenda 2063. The Agenda seeks to build a prosperous and integrated Africa with significant improvement in the living standards of the people, deeper democratic values and the attainment of a peaceful, just and well-governed continent”.
“As the emerging African Integration Agenda, the African Continental Free Trade Area will rely on the competence and skill of public servants at the national level to achieve its lofty objectives of increasing inter-Africa trade and thereby accelerating socio-economic development among AU member States”.
According to her, the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021 – 2025 (FCSSIP25) which is designed to transform the Federal Civil Service into a world-class Service has noted the need for digitalisation as its 5th pillar and also an enabler.
“In this regard, the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation initiated and has sustained intensive engagements with the brass of its stakeholders, especially the organized private sector and development partners to adequately drive the digitalisation of its work processes and other aspects of the Plan.
The Chairman of, Federal Civil Service Commission, Mr Tukur Nganjuwa said without an effective and efficient civil service, Nigeria cannot achieve its developmental targets.
Represented by Mr Obong Simon in the Commission, Mr Nganjuwa said the Commission is committed to the full realisation of the 2021-2025 strategy and implementation plan
From the Service-wide perspective, all MDAs are running with the digitalisation programme and are at different stages of implementation; with a mandate for all to achieve full migration by the end of 2025.
Dominica Nwabufo
