ADDRESS BY
HIS EXCELLENCY, PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, GCFR,
AT THE OCCASION OF THE FOUNDATION STONE LAYING CEREMONY OF THE CIVIL SERVICE COLLEGE
ABUJA, 15TH JULY, 2005

 

PROTOCOL

Let me recall that the purpose for which I sought the mandate of the Nigerian electorate was the commitment and dedication to serve our nation. As a result, since 1999 this Administration has been committed to providing the highest quality of service to this nation. In pursuing this objective, I recognized early that systematic change through normative re-education was needed in order to transform the country’s bureaucratic processes. Let me hasten to say, as I always did, that a democracy dividend expected by the people is improvement of the bureaucracy in terms of dedication, efficiency, transparency, accountability and selfless service.

In recognition of the importance of these values, this Administration has been working very hard to promote change in orientation and attitude in public servants in particular, and indeed, the entire nation. We have tried to adopt strategies for repositioning the political economy away from indiscipline, corruption, waste, inefficiency, and negative attitudes especially towards public policies and programmes, towards a more focused, organized, efficient, effective, people-focused and social justice-based initiatives.

We all know that when people talk of inefficiency in the system that normally refers to the civil servants who are responsible for moving files that are the vehicles for the implementation of government policies. When people talk of corruption in Government, politicians as policy makers may be the first line of attack. But politicians come and go. So civil servants who tend to be there for all seasons not only get their share of the blame but we also know that they are active participants in the malpractices and corruption that we have been fighting against. It is in recognition of this malady that we put in place regular training programmes to help members of the civil service refresh their administrative skills, ethics and professionalism. In spite of these regular training programmes offered in various institutions, I regret to note that the Civil Service is still a long way from reflecting the level of our determination to change for the better. In fact, the Service has simply refused to be energized away from old and bad methods and procedures. Access to new ideas, information, technology, and methods of administrative action has been weak or poor. Consequently, we thought of setting up a specialized institution to carry out this responsibility – that Institution is the Civil Service College.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, this occasion marks yet another milestone in the attempt by this Administration to address the challenges and redress the maladies afflicting the Service in a comprehensive way. The entire public service should see this as a challenge to re-orientate, rededicate and refocus itself.

I expect that the civil service, as the driving force for Government service delivery, must be seen to be efficient, effective and credible in order to maintain its prime position both as an agent of Government and trustee of the people who are beneficiaries of the services that Government provides.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, in order to maintain the momentum of these capacity building programmes, Government has come to accept that only a systematic, coordinated and sustained programme of training can produce the type of Civil Servants that can anticipate, plan for, and manage change in the context of globalization and service delivery.

I have taken note of the course content of the proposed College. Allow me to plead with you to include the Private Sector and Relationship with the Civil Service in the curriculum. This is very important because the private sector is meant to grow the economy and the Civil Service can assist the private sector to grow the economy. The Civil Service must never see itself as being in opposition to the private sector, not in this era of globalisation. Also, with the establishment of the Civil Service College, we must think of what to do with the Administrative Staff College in Badagry. Both institutions must have a symbiotic relationship including relationship with the private sector.

Only through such a programme of training and retraining can the Service be adequately driven to cope with the dynamic changes in the expectations of both the government and the people. The establishment of the College is therefore one of the answers to the identified inherent capacity deficiencies of the Nigerian Civil Service. Let me therefore reiterate the commitment of Government towards the completion of the College to facilitate its take off as soon as possible. I am confident that when completed and fully operational, the College would attract local and international recognition as a role model for other management development institutions.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, it is therefore my pleasure to perform the foundation stone laying ceremony of the Civil Service College.

May God continue to bless Nigeria. Thank you.