The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, on Monday, said that the current administration of President Bola Tinubu remained accountable to Nigerians.
By Raji Rasak
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, on Monday, said that the current administration of President Bola Tinubu remained accountable to Nigerians.
Akume made the assertion during the opening ceremony of the Mandatory Training Programme for Chief Executive Officers of Federal Government Parastatal and Agencies at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Topo, Badagry, Lagos.
He said that therefore the administtration would not hesitate to effect necessary changes where any Chief Executive Officer in any Federal Government Parastatal or Agencies was found wanting.
Akume, who represented by Prof Simon Okoya, a Professor of Law at University of Lagos, said that the President directed him to remind them that leadership in public service was fundamentally about stewardship, accountability, and impact.
“Every public officer holds office in trust for the people and must therefore demonstrate integrity, transparency, and commitment to service.
“As CEOs, you are the points of contact between government and millions of citizens who interact daily with your institutions and their perception of government is largely shaped by the efficiency, responsiveness, service and quality of your delivery.
“You are all aware of the eight presidential priorities under the Renewed Hope Agenda and the establishment of Policy and Coordination Office which measures delivery.
“You have all by now been assigned your Key Results Areas (KRAs) and also executed your Performance Contracts.
‘As heads of public service implementing agencies, you seat at the heart of our transformation efforts of translating government policies into tangible benefits for citizens.
“Every reform, every initiative, and every promise we have made will only be delivered when you bring forth your strength, professionalism. integrity and discipline,” he said.
Akume, commended the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), ably led by Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, for steadfastly pursuing the service wide implementation of the MTP.
Also speaking, Walson-Jack (OHCSF) said that the two-week leadership training programme would reflect on collective commitment to building the public service that was competent and effective.
“The programme is designed on seeing both the federal government and stakeholders display mandatory attributes.
“It reflects our collective commitment to building a public service that is competent dependable digitally empowered.
“The theme of this year’s edition- lead wholely, reform, deliver, Renewed, captures the urgency of the moment Nigeria’s public sector is defined by rising citizen expectations,” she said
She assured the staff of ASCON and people of Badagry that her visit to the town would bring development to the ancient border community.
According to her, Badagry and ASCON will never be the same again.
Prince Sesi Whingan, the lawmaker representing Badagry Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, described ASCON as pride of Badagry.
According to the lawmaker, through workshops and training programmes organised by the college, it has exposed the town to the world.
Whingan urged the SGF and the head of civil service of the federation to help facilitate the second phase of Badagry Seme expressway which had not been executed by the government.
The Lagos State Head of Service, Mr Bode Agoro, said ASCON’s contribution to professional development of public servants has been invaluable and remains critical.
“Training helps leaders develop new skills, enhance decision-making, promote professionalism, and build a more agile and citizen-centred public service.
“It is also essential for the transition from operational roles to strategic leadership positions.
“The importance of training and retraining cannot be overemphasised, especially at the leadership level.
“Chief Executives of Government Agencies occupy a unique and critical space in the architecture of governance.
“You serve as the interface between policy and implementation.
It is, therefore, imperative that your leadership reflects excellence, integrity, accountability, and empathy,” he said.
In her remarks, Mrs Funke Adepoju, the Director General, ASCON said the college evolved into Nigeria’s foremost Centre of Excellence for Executive Capacity Development, a national reform accelerator that aligns learning with governance outcomes.
According to her, the programme underscores FG’s unwavering commitment to equipping the nation’s topmost executives with the requisite competencies.
“This is to enable them to deliver on the Renewed Hope Agenda and the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2025 (FCSSIP-25).
“The Mandatory Training Programme for Chief Executives of Federal Agencies is one of our flagship interventions.
“It is a strategic platform for leadership renewal, peer learning, and performance accountability.
“Through this initiative, ASCON, in collaboration with the Office of the SGF and Office of HCSF ensures that Chief Executives possess the leadership and governance competencies to translate national priorities into institutional results,” she said. (NAN)