In 2006 the Federal Government received a credit from the International Development Association towards the implementation of the Economic Reforms and Governance Project (ERGP).

The ERGP has four broad areas of support: viz:

• Public resource management and targeted anti-corruption initiatives;
• Pilot civil service administrative reforms
• Statistics and statistical capacity and
• Reform of the aviation sector

As one of the implementing agencies under the pilot civil service administrative reforms, the Bureau is overseeing the management of some aspects of the credit for six main activities.

These are as follows: 

 

• Conduct of a tracer study on the Severance and Social Assistance Programme in the Federal Civil Service;
• Building capacity for BPSR;
• Conduct of diagnostic studies and dialogue on critical civil service management issues;
• Designing and implementing a Performance Improvement Facility (PIF) scheme;
• Conduct a Monitoring and Evaluation Study on the Performance of the IPPIS Pilot MDAs and;
• Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

a)    Diagnostic Studies and Dialogue on critical civil service-wide Management Reform issues: 

Under the World Bank ERGP Project Appraisal Document (PAD), the Bureau is expected to carry out diagnostic studies and dialogue on key service-wide reforms to build broader support for the reforms service-wide and inform preparation of detailed plans to extend the reform process to other MDAs. More importantly, the diagnostic studies are to help define several elements of the service-wide reforms, which will also be used to promote dialogue and consensus around the on-going public service reform programme.

The three (3)   diagnostic studies are as follows:

• The Review and Professionalization of the Human Resource Management system in the Federal Civil Service;
• Development of a new Performance Management System in the Federal Civil Service and;
• Development of a new Training and Capacity Building system for the Federal Civil Service.

The details of the diagnostic studies are as follows: 

b)    Diagnostic Study and Dialogue on the Review and Professionalization of the Human Resources Management (HRM) system in the Federal Civil Service

As part of the World Bank ERGP support to the Bureau, the Bureau engaged Applied Resources Consortium Limited, a consultancy firm to conduct a diagnostic study and dialogue on the “Review and Professionalization of the Human Resources Management (HRM) system of the Federal Civil Service”.

The primary objective of the diagnostic study and dialogue is to install a framework for institutionalizing a HRM system in the Federal Civil Service and; develop a model to professionalize the HRM functions as well as evolve the creation of a HRM cadre from existing cadres in the Federal Civil Service.

 2.    The main deliverables from the study is a comprehensive Report with detailed implementation strategy for transforming the Service into a professional Service, especially in relation to the current personnel and generalist functions. 

3     Applied Resources Consortium Limited commenced the diagnostic study and dialogue on 26th March, 2012 and on Monday 11th June, 2012, the firm submitted the Draft HRM Report. The Draft HRM Report was shared with the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the diagnostic study, PS, MDO/OHCSF and World Bank for comments. On Monday, 8th October 2012 a Stakeholders’ Validation Workshop was organized for critical stakeholders with the primary purpose of creating a wide buy-in and common platform for the effective discussion and input into the draft HRM Report. The Validation Workshop was declared opened by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Establishment and Records, Mr. Charles Bonat. The workshop was attended by some serving and retired Federal Permanent Secretaries, Directors of Human Resources and other critical stakeholders.

 4.     The Consultant finalized the Final HRM Report and it to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on Thursday, 22nd November 2012. The essential elements of the Final HRM Report include: 

• A developed framework to evolve, institutionalize and implement the new professionalize HRM model in the context of the existing laws, rules and practices;
• A recommended HRM competency framework with training plan in the short, medium and long term, that is linked to professional certificate and continuous competency development;
• Re-designation and streamlining of the functions of the five HRM related Offices in the OHCSF to accommodate gaps in HRM functions and;

Detailed implementation strategy for transforming the Federal Civil Service into a professional Service, especially in relation to the current personnel and generalist functions.

c)    DIAGNOSTIC STUDY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW TRAINING AND CAPACITY BUILDING SYSTEM FOR THE FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE.

 The Bureau engaged BDO Management Consulting Limited, a consultancy firm to conduct diagnostic study and dialogue on the Development of a new Training and Capacity Building System for the Federal Civil Service.

The diagnostic study and dialogue on the development of a new training and capacity building system for the Federal Civil Service is expected to lead to: 

• Appropriate modern, technologically-driven and adequately equipped institutions with efficient procedures work system;
• Effective human capital at all levels of the service for efficient and quality service delivery;
• Development of the capabilities of the employees with a view to enabling the service to meet most, if not all, of its future requirements for professional, managerial and technical staff from within;
• Facilitation of planned change(s) within the service and;
• Promotion of core values, positive attitudinal habits and norms that will contribute to the achievement of service goals.

3.    The consultancy firm will be expected to deliver on the following tasks:

Develop a framework for national human capital development strategy from which the public service could derive its strategic framework;

Review current training and capacity development policy and, management system and recommend a new system that could efficiently and effectively support the desired of a new public service to emerge after the on-going reforms; a system that could fit the requirement of the new knowledge and technological age, and support the implementation of the national vision and development agenda in the short, medium and long term;

• Develop an effective methodology for regular updating of training plans through skills gap analysis as well as for conducting TNA on a periodic basis;
• Prepare a model of manpower planning and career development appropriate to achieve the re-professionalization agenda of the on-going reforms in the Nigerian public service;
• Develop an appropriate model and framework of action for re-positioning the major public sector training institutions in Nigeria;
• Develop a scheme (including instruments) for monitoring and training impact evaluation in the Nigerian public service;
• Identify and recommend appropriate action framework for optimizing multi-media and distance learning approaches to training and capacity development of Nigerian public officers;
• Advise on the roles of the various class of Management Development Institutions (MDIs) and the consulting industry in capacity development in the Nigerian public service and in the light of best practices;
• Secure the validation of relevant stakeholders and;
• Recommend a Scheme of training – based assessment for professional development and promotion of officers.

4.    The output of the consultancy shall be a detailed report and documents towards delivering the objectives. A draft Report has been submitted  and stakeholders are expected to validate the Report. 

Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System  in pilot MDAs 

The Bureau managed the implementation of the pilot phase of IPPIS in seven MDAs from 2006 until July, 2007 under the ERGP. At the end of the IPPIS pilot project, the project was successfully handed over to the Offices of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and Accountant-General of the Federation for continuity. The IPPIS project provides a reliable and comprehensive database for the public service, facilitate manpower planning, eliminate record and payroll fraud, facilitate easy storage, update and retrieve personnel records  for administrative and pension processes and facilitate staff remuneration with minimal wastage and leakages.

The IPPIS project has so far: 

• Streamlined payroll and personnel processes in 18 MDAs;
• Personnel budget in the IPPIS implementing MDAs is now based on actual numbers of staff and not on estimates and;
• Prompt deduction and remittance of all third parties funds including FRS, PFA and NHIS.

At the end of the IPPIS pilot project, the project was successfully handed over to the Offices of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and Accountant-General of the Federation.

Implementation of Performance Improvement Facility (PIF) scheme in ten pilot MDAs. 

The World Bank ERGP is supporting the Bureau (under Civil Service Administration Reforms) to implement a Performance Improvement Facility (PIF) in the Federal Civil Service with the sum of US$1,800,000. The primary objective of the PIF is to improve the quality, efficiency and access of service provided by key MDAs. More importantly, the PIF scheme is aimed at re-engineering the business process of key MDAs. 

3.    In actualization of the PIF objective, the BPSR ERGP in collaboration with the MDAs in the Federal Civil Service undertook an Identification Needs Assessment (INA) of the administrative and technical methods and processes that militate against efficient and qualitative service delivery in the respective MDAs. The outcome of the INA was revealing because it brought to the fore the level of poor administrative and technical processes in the service. This resulted in the need to adopt ICT systems to re-engineer their business process in key MDAs. The ICT solution systems are as follows: 

• E-File Tracking an E-Registry using the RFID solution system;
• Electronic Document Mgt. and E-Archival solution system;
• Website and Internet Infrastructure Upgrade;
• Development Champion Database Web-Portal;
• E-(on-line) Application and NELEX Web-Portal;
• E-Library and;
• Unified Communication and Collaboration system.

4.    The ten pilot PIF MDAs that met the PIF scheme eligibility criteria and had in place the requisite IT infrastructure system to guarantee better management of the project from inception to completion, and reduce slippages associated with trails runs of system infrastructure of this nature were as follows: 

• Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF);
• Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF);
• State House;
• Ministry of Niger-Delta;
• Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment,
• Federal Ministry of Works;
• Federal Ministry of Information;
• Federal Ministry of Science and Technology;
• Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity and;
• BPSR

5.    In order to actualize the objectives of the PIF scheme, the BPSR ERGP commenced the engaged seven reputable IT consultancy firms to install ICT solutions systems in the ten (10) pilot PIF MDAs as follows

S/No	Pilot PIF MDAs	ICT Solution System to be install in the pilot PIF MDAs
i.	Niger-Delta, Trade and Investment	Development Champion Web-Portal system
ii.	Labour and Productivity	E-(on) Line Application and NELEX Web-Portal System
iii.	OHCSF(CMO), BPSR, Information and Science	EDMS and Archival solution system
iv.	OHCSF, Information, Labour and Productivity	E-Library system
v.	OSGF, State House	Unified Communication and Collaboration system
vi.	Information and Niger-Delta	Website and Internet Infrastructure Upgrade system
vii.	OHCSF, Works, Niger-Delta, State House	E-File Tracking and E-Registry using the RFID system

 

The installation of the ICT solution systems in the ten pilot PIF MDAs commenced from Monday 21st October, 2012 to Monday 21st January, 2013. The installations of the ICT systems in the pilot MDAs will be leverage on existing Galaxy Backbone infrastructure system network.

The Bureau also engaged Quality Assurance Individual Consultants to ensure quality control and standards in the installation of the ICT systems in the ten pilot PIF MDAs. 

Tracer study on the Severance and Social Assistance Programme in the Federal Civil Service. 

The study is aimed primarily at reviewing the 2006 and 2008 severance programme to assess its effectiveness and make recommendation for similar programmes in the future. The study has been completed. 

Monitoring and Evaluation Study on Performance Indicators in IPPIS Pilot MDAs 

The primary objective of this study is to conduct Monitoring and Evaluation Study on Performance Indicators in the Five (5) Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) Pilot MDAs in 2007. The pilot IPPIS project was aimed at providing a reliable and comprehensive database for the Public Service, facilitate manpower planning, eliminate record and payroll fraud, facilitate easy storage, update and retrieve personnel records for administrative and pension processes and facilitate staff remuneration payment with minimum wastages and leakages. The M&E study is, therefore, aimed at reviewing and evaluating the extent to which the pilot IPPIS project has been achieved. The conduct of the study has been completed. 

Conduct of Impact Assessment and Tracer Studies on Public Service Reforms initiatives and policy 

The Bureau is expected to harness the technical and administrative interface and synergies of Government’s reform initiatives, policy and activities to facilitate qualitative, efficient and effective service delivery. To this end, the BPSR has already conducted an impact assessment on the Monetization Policy in the Federal Public Service.

The major findings arising from the impact assessment included the fact that, there are apparent savings on recurrent cost to government; curtailment on unnecessary expenditure on renovation and; rehabilitation of certain services. Presently, the Bureau is conducting impact assessment and tracer studies on the implementation of the new National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and Pension schemes in the Federal Public Service.

The conduct of these studies are aimed at providing a better understanding and assessment of the different reform initiatives and policies implemented by government since the inception of the reform programme; determine its successes, challenges and required interventions including possible policy and regulatory responses as it pertains to these reform programs.