NEAPS 2024 Awards Based on Empirical Evidence of Performance, Says Tinubu

Bennett Ogifo

President Bola Tinubu has stated that all the 44 award winners at the 2024 Nigerian Excellence Awards in Public Service (NEAPS) held last Saturday at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, were picked based on empirical evidence of performance and not politics.

The NEAPS 2024 is a collaboration involving a private firm, The Best Strategic PR (TBS), and the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), to recognise excellent public service delivery.

The President who was speaking during the presentation of the awards, said the winners were recognised for their giant strides towards the transformation of Nigeria and that they had consistently put hard work and dedication at the centre of their initiatives.

Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said he was truly delighted to witness the second edition of NEAPS, and thanked TBS led by Ms. Mariam Mohammed, “for this initiative and for deploying one of the best indices to determine the level of performance of Public Officers.”

President Tinubu adds: “I know that Public Officers will be challenged to perform above board now that they know they are being monitored by the people. Public Service is a public trust where officers and even employees must be accountable to the people whom they should always serve with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency. They are expected to act with patriotism and think out of the box in order to solve the many problems facing the people which they lead.”

In his remarks, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, said NEAPS “is purely a private sector driven initiative, which has independently accessed the performance of public servants in the discharge of their roles and responsibilities and have nominated the recipients of today’s awards.”

The SGF adds: “This is indeed a scorecard of our public officers, and I am glad that Mr. President has approved the hosting of this event. This recognition underscores your level of performance in your different strata and charges you to do more in the performance of your duties.

“NEAPS is an Award that recognizes and rewards innovation, purposeful leadership and other exceptional deserving individuals that have contributed immensely to the growth and development of the public service and the country at large.

“I want to use this opportunity to thank The Best Strategic Media (TBS) for initiating and sustaining this award, and for a thorough work done in the selection of these eminent persons and organisations to receive awards in the various categories. I wish to state that the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation is happy to collaborate with you and if this succeeds, will seek to make the event an annual thing to motivate Public Officers to work for the betterment of this country.”

In her remarks, the founder of NEAPS, Ms Mohammed stressed the need for leaders to genuinely commit to the ideals of excellence, value and innovation, which she said would always lead to remarkable breakthroughs in human progress.

Mohammed adds: “Now, when change makers, be they individuals or institutions are identified, recognized and appreciated, a culture of meritocracy becomes entrenched, which can be a catalyst for meaningful growth and development in any society. For these reasons, a private sector initiative of The Best Strategic Media was conceptualized.”

She also commended President Tinubu for demanding performance from his appointees: “You did not just end there, Mr. President. You established a framework for monitoring and evaluation by demanding a performance bond from your appointees; a bond containing key performance indicators that will be reviewed quarterly. This is what I call hands on leadership.

“The public service is not just important but is the nucleus of any society that aspires towards progress. This progress is made possible by excellence. And that excellence is what we celebrate. It acknowledges and reflects on your performance in just over one year in Office. Once again, we thank you Mr. President for endorsing this event.”

Seven state governors were honoured at NEAPS 2024. They are Peter Mbah of Enugu State; Muhammad Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State; Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State; Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State; Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State; Mohammed Bago of Niger State and Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State.

The other award recipients were the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service, Wale Adeniyi; Governor of the CBN, Yemi Cardoso; Executive Chairman, FIRS, Zach Adedeji; IGP Kayode Egbetokun; former SGF, Boss Mustapha; National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; GCEO of NNPC, Mele Kyari; Chair, EFCC, Olanipekun Olukoyede; the Executive Vice Chairman, NASENI, Khalil Suleiman Halilu; James Faleke and Aliyu Betara, both members of the House of Representatives; and Senator Musa Sanni.
Others were the CDS, General Christopher Musa; the CDI, Major General Epa Undiandeye; Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja; Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar; President, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; the DG, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi; the Chairman, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri; and a Commissioner from Borno State, Zuwaira Gambo.

The award list also has the Director-General, Department of State Services (DSS), Yusuf Bichi; Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake; the DG, NIA, Amb. Ahmed Rufai Abubakar; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; a retired federal permanent secretary, Olusegun Adekunle; Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi; the Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Hadejia; Dr. Nnamdi Maurice Mbaeri and Danda Lawal.