The Federal Government has issued another directive to the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government to immediately resume the conduct of the Focus Workshop on the Operationalisation of the Executive Order No. 001, 2017 on the Promotion of Transparency and Efficiency in the Business Environment beginning from Wednesday 30th August 2017 or be sanctioned.

In a circular titled “Resumption of the conduct of the Focus Workshop on the Operationalisation of the Executive Order No. 001, 2017 on the Promotion of Transparency and Efficiency in the Business Environment” signed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, said that the Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo gave the directive following the failure of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government to ensure participation of the 5-member Implementation Team at eight of the series of Focus Workshop held from Wednesday, 5th – Thursday, 13th July 2017, by the assigned Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government.

According to her, the lukewarm attitude to the policy directive of Government by assigned MDAs, which recorded average attendance of 23% of the expected invited participants compelled the abrupt suspension of the workshop.

The Head of Service emphasized that attendance of the Focus Workshop by members of the Implementation Team on the Executive Order, No. 001 is mandatory and that failure to attend will be construed as willful attempt to frustrate Presidential directive and shall be visited with stern reprimand.

She said that MDAs are required to prior to the workshop submit their Operationalisation Plan (OP) to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation through the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office (CSO) and are equally expected to log into the Website of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation atwww.ohcsf.gov.ngto ensure attendance of the workshop on their scheduled date. Adding that the implementation team of the MDAs will be required to make presentations of the highlights of their OP during the workshop.

The circular further directed all Permanent Secretaries, Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies to ensure strict compliance of the workshop which is expected to hold at the Public Service Institute of Nigerian (PSIN), every Wednesdays and Thursdays as from 30th August 2017 and shall run up until 20th September, 2017 at 10 am prompt.

It will be recalled that the Federal Government had earlier issued directives to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on the full implementation of the Executive Order 001, 2017 on the Promotion of Transparency and Efficiency in the Business Environment or be sanctioned.