According to the Leadership News, The Federation Civil Service Head, Didi Walson-Jack, spoke about the necessity for leadership development in moving forward public service delivery and invited civil servants to use their enhanced competencies in pushing forward governance in Nigeria.
Speaking at the 2024 Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation Public Leaders Programme closing ceremony in Abuja, Walson-Jack praised the programme for equipping public sector leaders with the right skills, knowledge, and right mindset to drive innovation and excellence in governance.
“This programme is a landmark moment in our shared quest to strengthen the public sector through the creation of a core of visionary, ethical, and capable leaders who will drive transformation,” she said.
She also commended the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation for its dedication to strengthening governance in Nigeria and across the continent, noting that some alumni of the programme had already made significant contributions to civil service reform initiatives.
“Beyond the training, I’m pleased to see that some of the programme’s alumni are actively engaged in my office, playing key roles in various reform initiatives,” Walson-Jack added.
She called on participants to serve as ambassadors of good governance, applying their newfound expertise to enhance service delivery.
Osinbajo: Civil Service is Nigeria’s Engine for Progress
Former Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo also spoke during the event, pointing out that an efficient civil service is critical to national development.
“There is no real possibility of a nation or government moving forward if its civil service, which is the vehicle for the delivery of public goods, is weak or unproductive,” Osinbajo said. He dwelled on the importance of innovation in government, urging public servants to imagine anew, plan astutely, and execute policy efficiently.
“The civil service is the key to national success not because civil servants are special, but because government is the legally accepted means of improving life for the people,” he continued.
Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation: Developing Capacity for Governance
The Executive Vice Chairman of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, Ofovwe Aig-Imoukhuede, endorsed the foundation’s enthusiasm for developing public sector leaders to meet governance issues.
“The AIG Public Leaders Programme has been a game-changer in developing civil service capacity, not just in Nigeria but throughout all of Africa,” she asserted.
With its collaboration with the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford, the programme has now graduated four cohorts of exceptional public sector leaders to tackle the issues of modern governance. Foundation Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, also addressed the importance of long-term investment in leadership development among public servants, terming it a key facilitator of good governance.
He commended the participants’ commitment and challenged them to translate their training into tangible improvements in public service delivery.
