Mohammed Shosanya
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the refund of salaries collected by civil servants who have relocated abroad while receiving salaries without formally resigning.
He gave the order on Saturday night at the 2024 Civil Service Award and Gala Night, the climax of the week-long 2024 Civil Service Week.
Tinubu,represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, also demanded that the Supervisors and Heads of these fraudulent civil servants must be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud under their watch.
He said: “During my recent visit to South Africa, I kept abreast of the week’s activities and was particularly struck by the revelations shared by the Head of the Civil Service regarding employees who had relocated abroad while drawing salaries without formally resigning.
“It is heartening to hear that measures have been taken to address this issue, but we must ensure those responsible are held accountable and restitution is made.
“The culprits must be made to refund the money they have fraudulently collected.
“Their supervisors and department heads must also be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud under their watch.
“The Nigerian Civil Service cannot just be a workplace where ‘anything is possible, ‘where workers violate rules without the fear of punishment or repercussion.
“The civil service of any nation is too important for such misconduct to take root or be tolerated.”
The President described the Civil Service, as “the bedrock, the engine, the locomotive of government, which is necessary for the government to deliver public goods to citizens.”
According to him, “As politicians, we are no more than drivers of the locomotives that you provide.
“Those who say that a nation is as good as its civil service are close to the truth. You are the real establishment that remains to pilot government affairs as we politicians come and go.”
He explained that over the decades, successive governments had initiated various National Development Plans and programmes, and all relied on the Civil Service to translate such plans into high-impact programmes and projects across all sectors of the nation’s economy.
Tinubu reiterated the commitment of his administration to cultivating. empowering, and professionalising Nigeria’s human capital within the Civil Service.
He added:”It is imperative to foster a culture of excellence and instil confidence among our civil servants.Our administration acknowledges the challenges the civil service faces.
“I want to give you the assurance that we are committed to ensuring the welfare and development of all civil servants to deliver optimal performance for the growth of our nation.
“Over the past year, I have provided all the necessary support to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to ensure the continued stability of the civil service and to implement far-reaching policies and reforms capable of improving efficiency and service delivery”
Commending the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation for the reforms introduced in the Civil Service towards creating a world-class service that upholds meritocracy and excellence, he charged Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and Chief Executives of various Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDAs) to ensure swift implementation of these reforms within their respective MDAs.
He further warned them to reduce unnecessary bureaucracies that slow down the conduct of government businesses.
He said: “Our commitment to delivering on the Renewed Hope Agenda demands urgency, without compromising due process.
“1 am aware that due process must be followed in conducting government business but that should not give room for any form of red- tapes or insistence on unnecessary bureaucracies.
“We have pledged to work for the Nigerian people, and it is critical that all civil servants, and indeed all public servants, recognise the key role they must play in the achievement of our national potential.”
Congratulating some civil servants who have distinguished themselves in service, Tinubu reminded them that “to whom much is given, much is also expected.
“As you are honoured today, remember that with recognition comes responsibility. Your continued dedication is essential as we strive for excellence in service to our nation,” he said.
In her keynote address, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation(HCSF), noted that there is a high institutional/organizational demand for improved workforce performance, a culture that promotes and sustains consequence management, adding that there should also be in place—an incentive system that rewards high performance and innovation while addressing underperformance.
Yemi-Esan emphasised that the Civil Service must not be seen as a dumping ground for job seekers but must attract the best and the brightest who would contribute fresh ideas and demonstrate the determination and capability to drive national plans and solve Nigeria’s socio-economic problems.
The high point of the Gala Night was the presentation of an Endowment Fund of N500,000 to each of the best performing civil servants from the MDAs facilitated by Private Sector Partners- the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation as well as 2024 Edition of the Service-Wide Rewards and Recognition Awards.
These categories of awards, according to her, include Presidential Distinguished Public Service Career Award; Presidential Civil Service Merit Award;Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Award;The Public Service Excellence Award; 2024 Sports Achievement Award, among others.