Olaopa: Competency-based Human Resource Practices to be Restored in Federal Civil Service

*Aligns merit to implementation of federal character policy

Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, has reiterated his commitment to reengineer the standard operating procedures and guidelines in recruitment, career and talent management in the Federal Civil Service as it touches on the role of the Civil Service Commission.

He said this reform will build a new generation of public managers that were capable, professional, accountable, technology-enabled and value-driven.

He made this statement at the Interactive Meeting he had with Staff on grade levels 08 and above at the Commission

A statement signed by
Head, Press & Public Relations, Taiwo Hassan, noted that Olaopa said his goal was to solve challenges facing the Commission as human resource management hub of government rather than addressing the symptoms.

“Will nonetheless not embark on a mission to try to address the symptoms of the disease that ails the Commission. Rather, we will go to the root of the disease and inject healing therapy,” he said.

While assuring the staff that the meeting will be held on regular basis, Olaopa revealed that as soon as the newly reconstituted FCSC was inaugurated in December 2023, it commenced the rapid assessment of the FCSC along specific TOR which has delivered a baseline set of reform ideas that informed the evolving FCSC reform plan which implementation will soon be unveiled.

Flanked by the commission’s commissioners, he disclosed that through series of onboarding sessions and events, the skills of the pool officers in the Commission would be upgraded through professionalization so they could be brought up to speed.

Going into its history as a British invention of 1885, he reiterated the role of the Commission as the gatekeeper for the public administration profession, a role they are constitutionally mandated to pursue as promoter and protector of the merit system and as centre of excellence professional hub of HR practice in the public sector.

He lamented that as Federal bureaucracy, the Commission had been undergoing perpetual transition without witnessing desired transformation so far, ut, that reintroducing competency based human resources practices which is the core mandate of the Commission is the starting point of desirable transformation.

Besides, he said the public sector in Nigeria needs to provide a lead for a national productivity movement to stem the culture of waste within the framework of a national cultural adjustment programmes.

He stated that public officials connected with the policy process in government must be the brightest and best in terms of expertise and also respond to society’s fundamental diversities of nationality, gender, disability, age, and other social classes.

In this regard, Olaopa stated that the Commission takes inspiration from President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to institute a government of national competence, explaining that the rate of social progress in Nigeria will depend upon the degree to which political power is matched with policy and managerial intelligence.

The Chairman added: “We all must work together to salvage this our profession, and some of us have made that salvage a lifelong mission and it is too late to back down.”

Olaopa warned staff to stay clear of cash and carry image that has been given to the Commission, stating that the current Commission as reconstituted has zero tolerance for such disgraceful corrupt practices.

The series of meetings continues till Thursday, with the Chairman expected to have audience with the Executive Committee of the Union on Wednesday.