THE Federal Government has expressed determination towards the development of entrepreneurship culture and commercial orientation in the nation’s Federal Civil Service.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, who stated this also said government was determined to continue to partner the Institute of Directors (IoD) of Nigeria in order to achieve the objective.
She spoke at the Strategic Public Sector Leadership Programme for Federal Permanent Secretaries, organised by her office in collaboration with the Institute of Directors (IoD) Nigeria, held in Abuja.
She said that the programme was aimed at creating a route for Federal Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service to become members of the prestigious IoD Nigeria, and for them to be exposed to learning that would broaden their knowledge in areas such as planning, strategy, decision making, finance, and leadership development.
Oyo-Ita, said further that the Federal Civil Service needed to contribute to the economic diversification drive of the government, which she said, called for innovative ways of generating income, cutting cost, reducing wastages and ensuring value for money in the implementation of projects and programmes and in the delivery of government services.
She noted that with the development of culture and commercial orientation in the Federal Civil Service, the service and the ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) would become idea generation powerhouses.
The Head of Service added that this would complement the private sector in creating business opportunities as well as develop business innovation initiatives such that civil servants become very knowledgeable in innovation and entrepreneurship and can translate ideas into business.
She said that the programme, in addition to development of entrepreneurship skills in the Federal Permanent Secretaries preparation for retirement from the service, would provide them and indeed the Federal Civil Servants a framework for focusing on truly strategic decisions, that would impact on their organisation’s direction, priorities, culture, and ultimately, its success.
Oyo-Ita, said the programme would be extended to the Directorate Level officers in all the MDAs and subsequently other Federal civil servants.
Speaking earlier, the President and Chairman of Council, (IoD) Nigeria, Mr. Samuel Yemi-Akeju said that IoD Nigeria was ready to enter into collaboration with the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation in the area of entrepreneurship culture and commercial orientation.
This, he said was intended to equip the Federal Permanent Secretaries with techniques for transforming a strategic vision into action projects, with the tools to prioritize and focus resources on the activities most needed to reach the desired future state.