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.
