The new Head of Service of the Federation Mr Danladi Kifasi on Monday assumed office in Abuja, with a pledge to deepen the on-going civil service reforms initiated by his predecessors that are in line the President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda.
He made this known in a brief hand over ceremony and the formal retirement of Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji, the immediate past Head of Service of the Federation.
Kifasi stated that the civil service remains the most vital institution through which the government delivers policies and programmes to the citizenry.
“This is why government has spared no effort in recent times to reposition the service for effective service delivery.
“it is incumbent on all public servants to continue even more vigorously efforts aimed at restoring public trust in the public service as a professional, efficient, performing and accountable institution.
“Some of the major challenges confronting the civil service includes insufficient capacity in research and Information and Communication Technology, ICT; inadequate communication skills; lack of innovation and red-tapism,” he stated.
Kifasi however, expressed satisfaction that there already exists a blue-print for transformation of the service adding that no effort would be spared to ensure its implementation.
In his own remarks at the occasion, Aji urged Kifasi to avoid being a Lone Ranger and carry other senior officers in the service. He also urged permsecs and directors in the various ministries to extend the same cooperation he received to the new Head of Service.
Commenting on his achievements in office, Aji advocated for the sustenance of the policy of using local institutions for training civil servants adding that there should only be exceptions when the nation lacked capacity for training in certain fields.
