BY OKEY NDIRIBE
The new Head of Service of the Federation Mr Danladi Kifasi has pledged to deepen the on-going civil service reforms initiated by his predecessors.

Kifasi made the pledge Monday in Abuja during a short ceremony which marked his assumption of office and the formal retirement of Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, the immediate past Head of Service of the Federation.

The new civil service boss affirmed  his commitment to the implementation of the strategic priorities of the on-going public service reforms which include, the promotion of service-wide intra and inter sector linkages; elimination of corruption through enhancement of transparency in the conduct of government business;
sustenance of  e-governance, including automation of of Integrated Personnel, Payroll and Information System, IPPIS, among the ministries, departments and agencies of government; institutionalizing the use of performance management system in the public service; implementing leadership and succession planning policy in the Federal civil service; Developing  knowledge incubation through critical thinking to enhance the capacity of civil servants to excel in the discharge of their official duties; Entrenching a new work culture to stem indiscipline and restore professionalism and building strong and sustainable institutions that will implement government policies and programmes effectively.

He further stated that the civil service remains the most vital institution through which the government delivers policies and programmes to the citizenry.
Kifasi declared that the civil service must continually evolve new ideas and innovations to make itself relevant to the government and ultimately to the citizenry to whom it renders service.

According to him: “This is why government has spared no effort in recent times to reposition the service for effective service delivery”.
He added  that it is incumbent on all public servants to continue even more vigorously efforts aimed at restoring public trust in the public service as a professional, efficient, performing and accountable institution.

The Head of Service identified the major challenges confronting the civil service to include insufficient capacity in research and Information and Communication Technology, ICT; inadequate communication skills; lack of innovation and red-tapism.

He declared that the survival of the service depends on overcoming these challenges.

Kifasi expressed satisfaction that there already exists a blue-print for transformation of the service adding that no effort would be spared to ensure its implementation.

In his own remarks at the occasion, Aji urged Kifasi to avoid being a Lone Ranger and carry other senior officers in the service. He also urged permsecs and directors in the various ministries to extend the same cooperation he received to the new Head of Service.

Commenting on his achievements in office, Aji advocated for the sustenance of the policy of using local institutions for training civil servants adding that there  should only be exceptions when the nation lacked capacity for training in certain fields.

He also urged Kifasi to complete the on-going housing scheme for civil servants which was initiated through mortgage loans.