Fatshimetrie: Revolution in Nigeria’s Civil Service
At the heart of Nigeria’s Federal Civil Service, a new era of transparency and efficiency is emerging under the leadership of Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, Head of Department of the Federal Civil Service. At a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, June 19, she announced drastic measures to clean up the oversized workforce of civil servants, marking an important turning point in the country’s administrative history.
As part of Public Service Week 2024, under the theme “Education in Africa fit for the 21st century: Building a resilient education system for increased access to inclusive, quality and relevant learning in Africa” , Dr Yemi-Esan revealed the results of physical verification carried out by various ministries, departments and agencies. This audit helped reduce the number of fictitious federal employees from more than 100,000 to 69,308 verified employees currently on the job.
Surprising revelations emerged from the audit, highlighting not only the existence of ghost civil servants with fake employment letters, but also employees who left the country to pursue opportunities abroad. Some of them returned for verification, citing their lack of knowledge of the scheduled dates and being given two additional weeks to complete the process.
However, faced with this requirement, many of these employees preferred to resign, realizing that no British body would grant them two additional weeks outside the country to complete their verification. This situation, although regrettable, has highlighted the government’s efforts to clean up the system and guarantee a reliable and efficient public service.
The fight against corruption in the public service has been a major challenge, with close collaboration between the Office of the Head of Civil Service, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Anti-Corruption Commission and other related offenses (ICPC). These strategic partnerships aim to eradicate corruption and strengthen integrity in public service.
At the same time, Dr. Yemi-Esan highlighted initiatives aimed at modernizing and digitalizing the entire federal civil service by the end of 2025. These advances demonstrate the government’s commitment to a more efficient and transparent administration, aligned with the needs of citizens.
In conclusion, this bold reform marks a significant turning point in the history of Nigeria’s civil service. Thanks to concrete measures and asserted political will, the country is embarking on the path to modernization and efficiency, thus offering its citizens the honest and efficient public service that they deserve.