President Bola Tinubu has charged Federal civil servants to work diligently to implement the various reforms in the civil service in order to deliver his administration’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ to Nigerians.

In his address at the occasion of the Award and Gala Night to mark the 2024 Civil Service Week in Abuja,, the President also tasked them to reenact the golden years, during which civil servants translated successive government’s National Developmental Plans into high-impact programmes and projects across all sectors of the nation’s economy.

The President, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, commended the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Esan, for her passion and commitment to ensuring that the Service embraces changes required to make it world-class.

He said, “It is heartwarming to note that the Federal Civil Service is driving a strategic plan that is aligned to the priorities of our Renewed Hope Agenda.

“The plan, I am aware, prioritises Capacity Building and Talent Management through which well-structured training such as the LEAD-P and SMAT-P are conducted. This is, in addition, to structures put in place to promote a culture of innovation in the Service.

“I urge all the Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and Chief Executives to fast-track these reforms in their respective MDAs as time is of the essence in our commitment to deliver the dividends of the Renewed Hope Agenda to Nigerians.

“I commend the passion and commitment of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, to ensuring that the Service embraces the changes required to make it a world-class service that upholds meritocracy and excellence.”

Furthermore, Tinubu directed Esan to take punitive action against some senior civil servants, who allegedly “aided and abetted” their subordinates’ relocation abroad without formally resigning, while still drawing salaries from government coffers for many years, the President also charged the Head of the Civil Service to ensure that such culprits are made to refund the money that were fraudulently collected.

The Civil Service, Tinubu noted, should not be a workplace that “anything is possible” where workers violate rules without the fear of punishment or repercussion, adding, “the Civil Service is the bedrock, the engine, the locomotive of government, which is necessary for the government to deliver public goods to citizens. As politicians, we are no more than drivers of the locomotives that you provide.

“Those who say that a nation is as good as its Civil Service are close to the truth. You are the real establishment that remains to pilot government affairs as we politicians come and go.

“This is why we support building, nurturing, and empowering the human capital in the service. This is why there is a paramount need to enshrine a culture of professionalism and build confidence in civil servants.”

While acknowledging the challenges being faced by the Civil Service, the President assured that his administration is committed to ensuring the welfare and development of all civil servants to deliver optimal performance for the growth of our nation.

He disclosed, “In the past year, I have provided all the necessary support to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to ensure the continued stability of the civil service and to implement far-reaching policies and reforms capable of improving efficiency and service delivery.

“Within the last one year of my administration, I approved the implementation of the Civil Service reforms in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) administration. With this development, the FCT Administration now has its own Civil Service Commission, Head of Service and six Permanent Secretaries. Now, the workers can aspire to reach the pinnacle of their career before retiring.”

The President disclosed that while he appreciated the importance of following “due process” in conducting government business, however, added this should not give room for any form of red-tapes or insistence on unnecessary bureaucracies in the execution of government programmes.