My Biggest Challenge in Service was workers’ Resistance to Reforms, Says Yemi-Esan

Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

The immediate past Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, has revealed that her greatest challenge while in service was the resistance of civil servants to reforms.
The former HoS spoke at a dinner in her honour by the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation which took place in Abuja.
She explained that civil servants showed serious resistance to new reforms introduced during her tenure, particularly the resistance to changing old ways of doing things.

Her words: “Convincing them to accept a better way of doing things was a mountainous challenge. You know the initial reaction to anything new is resistance. To convince civil servants to accept our reforms was a big challenge.”
She also highlighted how collaboration was instrumental in facilitating digitalisation efforts within the civil service and called for understanding with civil servants and greater collaboration between the public and private sectors to enhance civil service reforms.

“First of all, before we talk about legacies, I just want to acknowledge and thank God for the success. It is not what any human being could have done; so, I acknowledge the help of God. The partnerships, especially with the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, helped a great deal. They provided both personnel expertise and funding.

“But we were able to convince them by communication. We had communication with different stakeholders to ensure that they bought into the vision and what we were trying to do,” he added.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, praised the former HoS for her commitment and leadership.

He also conveyed a message from former President Olusegun Obasanjo who praised Yemi-Esan for her dedication and efficient management during her tenure.