Enhancing civil service efficiency

The Civil Service is indeed the pivot upon which the machinery of Government revolves. Accountability in the management of public funds rests squarely on the Civil Service. It is very well conversant with rules, procedures and methods of dealing with official matters. It has a huge body of administrators and specialists who are responsible for […]

The Civil Service is indeed the pivot upon which the machinery of Government revolves. Accountability in the management of public funds rests squarely on the Civil Service. It is very well conversant with rules, procedures and methods of dealing with official matters. It has a huge body of administrators and specialists who are responsible for public administration. The Civil Service is therefore under obligation to bring its wealth of experience to bear in guiding politicians voted into power to initiate various programmes and formulate policies for the benefit and welfare of the people. Indeed, the effectiveness of the Civil Service should be a reflection of the success or failure of the Government in power at the end of its tenure.
The Civil Service is expected to apply tact and diplomacy in educating political bosses on administrative processes and the necessity to adhere to laid down rules and procedures. In the event that minds were made up to frustrate or even consciously violate extant regulations for vested interests, civil servants should summon the courage to dissociate themselves from such lawlessness and to petition higher authorities in good time for a review of the decision taken. The Civil Service is renowned for integrity, objectivity and loyalty to the State.
Seminars and workshops should be conducted periodically such as the recent one devoted to the Civil Service week in Abuja, with a view to discussing pressing issues which impinge upon working relationship within the dichotomy of politics and administration. Impediments to the observance of regulations as well as lapses and abuses in the service existing system should be identified and eradicated in the light of needs and demands suitable to the dynamics of change in the new socio- political and economic environment. Such seminars should come up with guiding principles and safeguards to fall back upon in easing tension where differing views could not immediately be reconciled.
Civil servants should always bear in mind that they have chosen the Service as a career and should therefore subscribe to its ethics and code of conduct. They are not expected, because of bestowal of patronage, to pervert both the cause and course of justice. Pecuniary gains as well as other vices attributable to abuse of office should be resisted. Technocrats in other public service agencies should also adopt these principles. The public holds all of them in high esteem and expects the confidence reposed in them to be justified by being honest, efficient and disciplined in serving the State.
Ambassador B.M Sani, Sharada Quarters, [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>   08035902069