FG Develops Unified Writing Style Manual on Public Service Communications
OlawaleAjimotokan in Abuja
The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation has formally received the Nigerian Public Service Writing Style Manual developed by a committee headed by retired permanent secretary, Olusade Adesola.
The document, which will enhance professionalism and uniformity in government communications, was presented to the Head of the Civil Service, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, marking a pivotal moment in the ongoing reform of the Federal Civil Service.
The 148-page manual is structured into six chapters and features 55 practical templates. It provides definitive guidelines on official writing standards across Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
It addresses long-standing challenges of inconsistency in government documents while establishing clear protocols for formatting, referencing, digital communication, and appropriate national symbols.
Receiving the document, Walson-Jack described the manual as a cornerstone for building a more responsive and citizen-centric civil service.
She noted that adopting standardised templates for official correspondence and precise guidelines on national symbols such as the Coat of Arms and National Flag would eliminate ambiguities in government communications.
The HoS outlined a structured implementation plan, beginning with a service-wide validation process to incorporate input from stakeholders across the public service.
She said the manual would be presented for presidential endorsement to formalise its status as a key policy document and subsequently integrated into training programmes for civil servants and subjected to periodic reviews every five years to ensure its continued relevance.
The Permanent Secretary of the Service Policies and Strategies Office noted that the initiative aligned with the federal government’s vision of a world-class civil service and acknowledged the instrumental role of the service-wide GPT platform in supporting the committee’s work.
