*Advocate consequences for actions
*Waziri Adio is a shining light, says el-Rufai
James Emejo in Abuja
The Minister of State for Environment, Mrs. Sharon Ikeazor, yesterday said though the civil service had what it takes to contribute to the national development, the lack of laid-down consequences for actions or inactions remained a great challenge.
This is as former Executive Secretary, Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Ms. Yewande Sadiku, has also expressed dismay that labour unions in the civil service could choose to hold government agencies to ransom with almost zero consequence.
It came as a former Minister of National Planning Commission (NPC) during the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua administration, Hon. Mohammed Sanusi Daggash, also disclosed how he had attempted to initiate a needs assessment on the civil service to correct inherent gaps, adding that his effort was defeated by some members of the then cabinet.
They spoke at the public book presentation of “The Arc of the Possible” as well as a conversation on “The Promise and Peril of Public Service” in Abuja.
The book was written by the erstwhile Executive Secretary, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Mr. Waziri Adio.
Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, at the ceremony, also attended by the Managing Director of THISDAY Newspapers, Mr. Eniola Bello, congratulated the author on the successful completion of his tenure at NEITI and “for so swiftly enriching our national discourse with an account of his public service”.
The governor, who launched the book, further described Waziri as a shining light who made his mark as a journalist and public commentator before venturing into the public sector.
Represented by the Kaduna State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Hadiza Balarabe, El-Rufai said the author has through his public service, demonstrated capacity and a desire to help make things better, adding that Waziri’s account would be useful for those who are still in the public service as they reflect on their roles and challenges as well as prepare those coming into public service.
The governor noted that: “Public service is tough and often thankless but it is a necessary activity for building a better society.”
He commended Waziri for leaving behind a legacy of professionalism and integrity and hoped other people coming behind would learn from his account.
Ikeazor said the entrenchment of the consequence regime in the public service would improve governance for the better in the country.
While calling for greater involvement of the private sector in governance, the minister explained that she ventured into politics following the infamous Sosoliso plane crash which traumatised the nation and resulted in civil protests by largely women groups which she was part of.
Ikeazor said she got into politics to influence policies and better the lives of the people.
However, Sadiku, while calling for punitive measures, recounted how the NIPC staff union which was resistant to reforms, had disrupted business activity in the commission on different occasions without consequences adding that this was bad for the service.
“The labour union locked the gate of the agency; the first time in July 2020, they locked it for 11 days – padlock out the gate of the agency. And there were zero consequences.
“They did it again in February 2021 for six days with zero consequences. I still find it incredibly painful that somebody can take a government agency and hold it to ransom like that. I was upset by the fact that the system allowed it to happen.”
Also, speaking at the launch, World Bank Country Director, Dr. Shubham Chaudhuri, said the single most important ingredient in which nations made progress on the basic aspirations of making lives better for all citizens was the quality and number of individuals who had dedicated themselves to that mission and public service.
Among other things, he said the deep commitment to the notion of public.
