PUBLIC SERVICE REQUIRES NEW LOOK FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE,SAYS OLAOPA
He said giving the Nigerian public service a new look is very crucial at this time because due to his experiences and researches as a scholar, there should be a proffer solution to the problems that had stifled the developmental growth of the Nigerian civil service as a strategic component and element of the Nigerians state.
Hear him ‘Tracing the historical evolution of the Nigerian Public Service from its colonial precedence including its potentialities at inception as well as the glorious year of 1960s and 1970s, the failure of the service to consolidate on the initial gains as the service has slide into operational decline and productivity stagnation.
Professor Olaopa who retired as a Federal Permanent Secretary, noted that various attempt by the government to reformed the civil service had failed, adding that the failure was due to ‘exclusion traps’ that have constitently jeopardised every reform administration in the civil service which are fundamental conception and reality gap that had ensure that the local condition and environment administration in Nigeria always work contrary to the intent and trajectory of the system
He emphasized, “Reform should not be institute without the requisite knowledge necessary to a successfully manage a reform process’, adding that constructive transformation of civil service is required to facilitate maximum potentials of the system.
Penpushing further reports that he noted that the transformation requires decisive transitions with multiple programmes that will project significant outcome capable of adding up to boost massive effect that can improve the economy of the nation.
“Meaningful transformation requires a transformational leadership with capacity to take strategies and implementation actions through continuous adaptation to overcome obstacles and exploit opportunities’.
He reiterated further that modernisation of civil service should be beyond its present operational and strategic re-arrangement and re-configuration but through the re-enactment of the ideal of what it means to be a public/civil servant, stressing that this will go a long way in achieving the essence of service through distinct program that incorporate professionalism, re professionalism and ethics into the service
The Professor, however, recommended that there should be institutional re-engineering of Nigerian civil service to position it for effective and efficient performance and productivity, and, there should be enthronement of an institutional philosophy to restore professionalism as well as creation of a critical mass of professionals that will address the stagnation of public service
