FG Grants Housing Loans to 118 LEAD-P Graduates

Olawale Ajimotokan

The federal government Staff Housing Loans Board has set aside resources to grant immediate housing loans to the 118 civil servants who graduated from the Batch 1 Leadership Enhancement and Development Programme (LEAD-P) if they indicate interest in obtaining the loan.

The Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan disclosed this at the graduation ceremony of 118 of 124 officers that were enrolled for the seven months internship programme.

She said the programme has the goal of cultivating 100 officers on Salary Grade Levels 10 -14 annually as the next generation of leaders in the Federal Civil Service.

She described the programme as a key component of the first pillar of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP) 2021 – 2025 which is Capability Building and Talent Management.

The HoS said 123 participants started the training in September, 2021.

According to her, a report on the action of the four officers who dropped out of the programme for reasons unknown to the Civil Service was being prepared for the attention of their respective MDAs.

She thanked the Africa Initiative for Governance (AIG) for designing the guidelines for the LEAD-P training and for being instrumental in organising the private sector for the internship programme in addition to sourcing the private sector organisations that absorbed 20 participants in Lagos and many in Abuja for their last internship.

Chairman, AIG Foundation, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, said a value-driven and result-focused civil service would lead to significant changes in the Nigerian civil service.

He said investment in identifying and developing the next generation of civil service leaders and equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to effect change was crucial.

Aig-Imoukhuede said a study of the history of great nations over several years, showed that the civil service played a crucial role in helping past societies forge greatness at nation building level.

He said the civil service played a vital role in the transformation of the US, China, Greece, Medieval England and Rome as formidable societies.