Nigerian Government Strategises To Review Public Service Rules

The Office of the Head of Civil Service of Nigeria, says reviewing the Public Service Rules is long overdue.

The Head of service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita said this while addressing a cross section of the Civil servants and other stakeholders at a meeting to brainstorm on ways of improving the public service rule, at the Public Service Institute of Nigeria, in Abuja.

According to her, the Public Service Rule was last reviewed in 2007 and published in 2008, making it 12 years against the 5 years as stipulated by the Civil Service law.

“Prior to this time, it had undergone several reviews since the country’s independence in 1960. And as you may be aware, it is subject to review every five years, and it is in the fulfilment of this reason that’s why we have gathered for these three days,” she said.

Mrs Oyo-Ita noted that the rule is reviewed to ensure that operations in the Public Service reflect the EPIC culture of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP 2020) which is developed for effective implementation of the Economic Recovery and Growth plan of the Nigerian Government.

“The revision has become necessary to update the rules, regulations and procedures in the Public Service and bring them in tune with the current trends in governance, and in line with global best practices,” she emphasised.

The Head of Service further said that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has resolved to throw open the review exercise to all stakeholders like the paramilitary Services, Parastatals and Agencies, labour Unions, retired Public Servants and interested members of the Public; as it is on the OHCSF website for inputs.

“I am delighted to inform you that we have received very encouraging  response online via the OHCSF website (www.ohcsf.gov.ng) from the entire civil and public service. As at today Friday, 26 July 2019 we have received responses from over 600 civil/public servants with a total of over 3,000 inputs in the various chapters of the PSR,” she added.

She called on all serving and retired civil and public servants to visit the OHCSF website to make their contributions to this review. “This is the first most inclusive participation of all civil and public servants to the PSR review. Hence the online submission will be extended to Friday August 2, 2019”.

Mrs Oyo-Ita said she was hopeful that the review exercise would be able to usher in new innovations into the PSR with focus on transparency, accountability, justice, equity, due process and the rule of law while doing away with all obsolete rules, ambiguities, spelling errors.