By Bonaventure Phillips Melah

Chinua Achebe of blessed memory, in one of his classics, had identified lack of leadership as the problem of Nigeria.

While the above has been proved to be true, another challenge facing the country is the refusal of citizens to accept and adapt the dynamics of change, which is necessary and inevitable for a people yearning for progressive development.

Nigeria is a country in need of change and transformation. The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, understands the need for the people to do things differently in order to achieve the President’s Renewed Hope agenda.

In doing things right, merit is one of the most critical factors, especially in selecting those to occupy leadership position; and the President has continued to hammer on merit, which he has practically demonstrated in his appointments of right persons as ministers, advisers, heads of MDA and Board members. This should tickle down the line until it becomes a culture, if we are to succeed as a nation.

In the past, all manner of things go through in the nation’s civil service which was seen as a corrupt system that produces only mediocre officials who cannot think out of the box, except on how to aid and abate stealing for officials in the service and appointees of government.

But there has been a significant change in the system due to several reforms brought into the system which till date some unscrupulous elements are not happy about. Example includes appraisal, promotion, staff discipline and many other areas.

One of key reforms is the introduction of the Performance Management System (PMS) which replaced the outdated and ineffective Annual Performance Evaluation Report (APER), as a way of assessing civil servants’ performances.

Announcing the change at a workshop in Abuja, November 2020, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan said the PMS will create a digitally-driven culture of performance management in the civil service. So far, it has proved very effective.

The era of APER was characterized by many dubious antics like proxy filling of appraisal form, a document that serves as the requisite for promotion assessment and officers were easily promoted based on ethnic, religious and other inclinations, rather than merit.

Another major reform in the federal civil service is the introduction of examinations for those seeking to become permanent secretaries which has been going on successfully in some years now but which some ‘powerful and well connected’ people have seen as offensive because it is seen as an affront to their age-long retrogressive interventions, as in the case of the recently conducted written exam.

The selection exam started on Monday November 6, 2023 with the first stage result released the following day through a circular by Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. The promptness with which the result was released ensured that the Nigerian factor including external influence was avoided, as has been the hallmark of the current leadership of the OHCSF.

The exam which was open to eligible Directors from states having vacancies followed the conclusion of a screening exercise. According to the circular, out of the 85 Directors that were cleared to sit for the written exam, 61 candidates failed to meet the minimum mark of 50 percent. Only 20 candidates scaled through while four candidates were absent.

The abysmal performance of the 61 directors, according to feelers, has triggered irritation with ‘big men’ making calls and threatening to bring down the roof if their candidates are not recommended for appointment as permanent secretaries.

Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, the HOCSF who has been the driver of the reforms in the federal civil service has proved herself as disciplined, well-focused , incorruptible and capable of withstanding the storms that come to committed leaders.

Therefore it is expected that as usual, she would not yield to the antics of the old-horse simpletons who make use of some high profile and corrupt people, including political, religious and traditional rulers to compromise the system.

The President, we are sure, will not have any sacred cows in his government. This is attributed to the riot act he reeled out to Hon. Ministers, Perm-Secs, Presidential Aides and other top government functionaries at the State House Abuja demanding optimal performance and the delivery of his Administration’s Agenda.

The Presidency should therefore resist any attempt by power brokers, lobbyists and other sociopolitical speculators to influence a reversal to the inglorious status quo ante on this matter.

Bonaventure Phillips Melah is an Abuja based Journalist. bonamelah123@gmail.com 08036062975