The Steering Committee on Reforms, the body that provides technical leadership for Reforms has held a high-level one-day retreat for key Ministers, members of the Steering Committee on Reforms, all Federal Permanent Secretaries and Directors General/Chief Executives of Federal Parastatals and Agencies. The retreat which held at the Banquet Hall, State House Abuja on January, 22nd 2015, on Public Service Reforms discussed key issues affecting the Public Service and fashioned out the future direction of the Public Service Reforms.

While delivering his welcome address at the occasion, the Head of Service of the Federation and Vice Chairman of the Steering Committee on Reforms, Danladi I. Kifasi said that the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government envisages a world class and merit-based Public Service that delivers government policies and programmes with excellence, discipline and professionalism. He added that if the aim of the retreat which is to map out a roadmap for reforming the budgetary system, make compensation system clearer and fairer and improve the services delivered to Nigerians is achieved, a National Strategy for Public Service Reforms that can move the Nation towards world class would have been developed.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman of the Steering Committee on Reforms, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim cataloged key achievements of the reforms and highlighted the need to build increased public confidence, increased involvement of the private sector in public service delivery and focus on the needs of the customer and develop a strategy to guide and coordinate future reform efforts.

The Vice-President, His Excellency, Arch. Namadi  Sambo represented by the Head of Service of the Federation, Danladi Kifasi noted that the reform initiatives of the present administration, include the fact that Nigeria is now Africa’s biggest economy, that life expectancy has gone up from 47 years to 52 years in the last 4 years and that only 3.4% of Nigerians are living with HIV/AIDS amongst others.

He concluded by saying that he has no doubt that future generations of Nigerians will judge the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan as that which put in place the foundation and pillars for Nigeria’s greatness.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“The Reforms being undertaken by the present administration is without doubt the deepest, most strategic and well thought-out in the history of Nigeria”

   -His Excellency, Vice-President Namadi Sambo at the high-level retreat on Public Service Reforms.