The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita has said that there is need for greater synergy between and among various services and government institutions, to leverage on developments and innovations that will move the service forward for effective service delivery to Nigerians.

Oyo-Ita stated this on Friday in her keynote address at the 39^th meeting of the National Council on Establishment (NCE), held in Minna, Niger State.

She said that the “embrace of technology and innovation are crucial to lift the Public Service from its current state of inertia, and ensure that the service is SMART, in terms of work processes and procedures while reducing the transaction cycle to an acceptable limit.”

The Head of Service stated further that as the only most viable instrument available to all governments for the formulation and implementation of policies, programmes and projects, the Civil Service must develop the capacity and competencies to adopt positive developments in the

global environment, to maintain its relevance and discharge its primary function of promoting growth and development in the country.

In attaining this lofty ideal, she said, there is the need to recognise and embrace emerging skills, knowledge and right culture required to propel the service to be a modern engine of governance.

Oyo-Ita emphasised that though there is no gainsaying that the Service has continued to grapple with several challenges, some of which are systemic, these challenges according to her, are not insurmountable “given the fact that the Service that we all use to know was not only respected, but was innovative, result-oriented and attractive to the best in the society.”

She said that it is the collective responsibility of the entire Public Servants in the country to strive to restore the Service to its past position of eminence and relevance, failing which, she stressed, future generations may be unkind in their assessment of our stewardship.

Earlier in his welcome address, the Niger State Head of Service Alhaji Mohammed Maude Lapai implored all the Civil Servants in the country to continue to discharge their duties and responsibilities with greater efficiency, dedication, and loyalty to the governments and demonstrate at all times, commitment, competence, and excellence in service delivery so as to regain their pride as technocrats, whose abiding mission is to propel growth and development of the nation.

In his opening remarks, the Executive Governor, of Niger State, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, said that “we need to pay attention to how we can restore to the Service, its respect and the confidence it used to enjoy.” In his address delivered by the Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed, the Governor said that the service we need today is the one that is not inclined to material acquisition but one that is built on uprightness, honesty and high sense of integrity in service delivery.

A total of 43 memoranda were deliberated upon by the meeting of the officials which held earlier in the week as a precursor to the Ministerial meeting.

•Photo shows Head of the Civil Service, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita.