FG to establish commercial departments in MDAs

In a bid to introduce enterprise culture and commercial orientation in the Federal Civil Service, the Federal Government is considering the establishment of a commercial unit, Division or Department in addition to the Public Private Partnership(PPP) Unit as one of the Common Services in Ministries, Departments and Agencies(MDAs) of the Federal Government.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita disclosed this today in her office in Abuja when she received the report of an 8-man Technical Committee on enterprise culture and commercial orientation in the Federal Civil Service.
She said that since she took over the leadership of the Federal Civil Service, she was not only looking at how to reposition the service to be more efficient, productive, incorruptible and citizen-centred (EPIC), but also a service that will move from a cost centre to a revenue generating organ where the potentials of all revenue outfits in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government are fully utilized.
She assured that the recommendations and modalities that are worked out for the smooth take off of the commercial Unit, Division or Department in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government will be given due attention as she would do everything possible to see to the realization of this noble objective. Adding that when the Department fully takes off, it would not only generate revenue for government but will also provide opportunity for career progression in the civil service.
Earlier, the Chairman of the 8-man Technical Committee Hajiya Nuratu Batagarawa, Permanent Secretary, Service Policy and Strategy Office, in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, who was represented by Mr. Ayodele Folayan, Director Performance Management in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation said that the committee adopted the global approach and best practices in arriving at its recommendations and that it has worked within the terms of reference given to it which are:- propose measures for establishing enterprise culture and commercial orientation in the Federal Civil Service; develop operational guidelines for improved revenue generating capacity of MDAs; examine the need for commercial unit, Division or Department as one of the Common Services in MDAsand recommend modalities for the establishment. Others include design a functional organizational structure incorporating commercial units, division and or departments in MDAs; develop schedule of duties for different manning levels to assume commercial activities in the proposed commercial unit, division or department and to determine the type of skills and capacity building in enterprise culture, commercial orientation for commercial officers in particular and other Civil Servants in general.