ALL roads leading to the Presidential Villa and State House Banquet Hall, turned chaotic on Thursday, with human and vehicular movement, following a summon by the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, of the directorate cadre workers in the Federal Civil Service for an interactive session on the recently signed Executive Orders.
As early as 8:00 am, vehicular traffic had already built up on the two major entrance routes into the Presidential Villa, the main entrance from the Federal Secretariat and the one from A.Y.A axis.
The security personnel attached to the Villa had hectic time checking all the vehicles before allowed into the parking lots that were later filled to capacity with motorists scrambling for where to park their vehicles.
Inside the Presidential Banquet Hall, venue of the workshop became a buzz, filled with very rowdy and uncontrollable crowd. The participants who were Assistant Directors and Directors from the core Federal Civil Service become confused and perplex with the nature of chaotic atmosphere both in and outside the Banquet Hall.
Osinbajo had two weeks ago signed three Executive Orders, “Promotion of Transparency and Efficiency in the Business Environment”, “Submission of Annual Budgetary Estimates by all Statutory and Non-Statutory Agencies including Incorporated Companies owned by the Federal Government of Nigeria” and “Support for Local Content in Public Procurements by MDAs of the FGN” respectively.
The Acting President, accordingly directed the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, to convene a one-day workshop on the operationalisation of the Executive Order 001 for the Directorate Level officers of Grade Level 15 to 17 in the core civil service.
It appeared, however, that the Office of the Head of Service underestimated the number of participants expected at the workshop, when the sprawling State House Banquet was divided into two and only one part was used while the remaining part was designated for tea-break section and refreshment.
When the programme commenced officially at 10:00am, a few number of participants who got to the venue early and secured seats, could hardly listen to the speakers because of the noise that enveloped the Hall from the large number of participants who were standing and chattering away in frustration.
Tribune Online observed that the matter was made worst when many of the participants got to understand that the Acting President, Osinbajo, who was billed to address on the significant of the Executive Orders was absent as he was away to Cross River State for another important official engagement.
The Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs Oyo-Ita, was also represented at the occasion by Chinyeaka Ohaa, Permanent Secretary Common Services Office (CSO) Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.
It got to a point at about 10: 20am that all those coming in where turned back at the entrance gate into the Banquet Hall, so as to prevent stampede, because everywhere was filled to capacity.
Some participants who were frustrated by the poor logistic arrangement, murmured and took their leave, after entering their names at the registration desk.
Some of them opined that the workshop could have been held in batches based on the Grade Levels or in a more commodious place such as the Foreign Affairs Building Auditorium at the Federal Secretariat.
A similar workshop which focused on “Promotion of Transparency and Efficiency in the Business Environment”, and “Support for Local Content in Public Procurements by MDAs of the FGN” had earlier held on Tuesday this week at the same venue, with only few participants drawn from the Ministries Department and Agencies of government.
Meanwhile, Acting Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mrs Habiba Lawal, in her address at the workshop urged Directors of Ministries Departments and Agencies in the country to promote transparency in their service delivery.
Lawal, who was represented by Ambassador Olakunle Bamgbose, Permanent Secretary Political and Economic Affairs OSGF urged the participants to ensure a public service that was devoid of corruption.
She said that they should adopt openness in the conduct of their functions, contracting procedures and publishing contracts in order to achieve the objectives of the Executive Order.
She said: “To deliver expected promises of the Change Agenda, the civil service must lead the way as the main organ saddled with the responsibility for efficient implementation of government policies and programmes.
“The executive order seeks to promote vibrant local industry by mandating MDAs to ensure at least 40 percent local content in all procurement procedures.
The Head of Service, Oyo-Ita who was represented by Chinyeaka Ohaa Permanent Secretary Common Services Office, said that the Civil Service is charged with the responsibility of implementing the executive order for effective nation building.
She described civil service as the machinery for implementing government policies and should be committed to the executive order.
and then