The inaugural Public leadership programme organized by the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, in partnership with the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, has graduated the first set of public servants participants. One of the participants, Engr. Olumayowa Idowu, a staff of NTA, emerged top of the 5 best Capstone projects at the end of the 6 months of executive programme. The progarmme which was designed to effect positive change in Nigeria’s public service has a total number of 49 public servants in its first edition.
Engr Olumayowa idowu’s winning project is “Harnessing Digital Technology in Broadcasting.” Others in top five are: “WEBAS: Application of auditable performance appraisal System to enhance work place productivity” by Dr. Husseini Shaibu, Deputy Director National Troupe of Nigeria; “The reform of Data management system of planning permits for the Lagos State Physical planning permit authority” by Olubusola Olatunji, Deputy Director Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development; “Improving Organisation effectiveness in the SERVICOM Office” by Jessinta Akinbodewa Ngozi, Head Procurement, Servicom Office (The Presidency); and “Introduction of recognition and rewards system in National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM)” by Ireti Oyefuga, Deputy Director National Centre for Technology Management.During the event, a former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Muhammadu Sanusi II charged the participants to ensure they understand why they have been appointed and put all they have learnt to work.
He pointed that the future and growth of Nigeria does not necessarily lie in the hands of politicians but civil servants. “If you are a public servant and do not know why you are there or how your role affects the public, you cannot make an impact”, he said.
Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman, Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, in his remarks, described the programme as a unique executive education programme which aimed at building the capability and effectiveness of public servants in Nigeria.
He said: “The Aig-Imoukhuede foundation believes that if adequate investment is channeled into building the capacity of public servants in Nigeria and indeed Africa, we will close the gap between Africa and the rest of the world.
”Aig-Imoukhuede noted that the participants are already engineering some level of changes in their various institutions with the innovative projects they have designed such as; improving organisational effectiveness through digitization, elimination of bias in recruitment of staff into the aviation sector, strengthening government response to financial crimes through PPP, among several others.
Government has never been short of ideas – Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo
The Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, while receiving the participants at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said that Nigeria needs to develop well-trained, knowledgeable and well-motivated public servants for effective service delivery and excellent performance. According to him, it is vital to provide cutting-edge training to public servants because “once public goods cannot be delivered effectively, development suffers, the commons are all at risk and the overall quality of life of the people is undermined.
”On the essence of developing Nigeria’s human resources, especially in the public sector, Prof. Osinbajo said that Nigeria’s problem has never be absence of policies but implementation.
In his words; “our governments have never been short of ideas, policies or roadmaps. Indeed, we have some of the best written and most insightful policies on practically all issues…but we sometimes fall flat on implementation. The reason is the quality of the human resources that we deploy in the public sector.Further, the Vice president said that; “the public service, especially regulatory agencies, generally tend to see their roles as policing or revenue generation.”
He emphasized that their real role must be “how to make life easier for the private sector, small and large businesses, individuals, those who create the jobs, create wealth and lift millions out of poverty. High Performance must then be determined by fidelity to those values.”
NSE President Commends Idowu as good ambassador of Engineering
Meanwhile, the president of Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, Engr. Tasiu Saad Gidari-Wudil has applauded Engr. Olumayowa Idowu for being a good ambassador of the Nigerian Society of Engineers.
He said this while receiving him in his Office after the award.He commended Olumayowa, who is also the chairman Abeokuta Chapter of Nigeria Institute of Electrical Electronics Engineers, NIEEE and a National Audit Committee member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), for his capstone project adjudged among the best selected 5 for the programme urging him to put all he has learnt to work, while pointing that the future and growth of Nigeria depends on the quality of leadership in public sector.
The highly selective programme with the backing of the Office of Head of Service of the Federation offered unique executive education programme aimed at building the capability and effectiveness of public servants in Nigeria and developing conceptual frameworks and practical tools needed to meet the challenges of today’s rapidly changing and complex world. The programme which began on September 2021 with 49 participants from different ministries and public institutions across the country on scholarships worth £11,500 each awarded by the AIG-Imoukhuede foundation to attend the programme.
https://www.myengineers.com.ng/2021/09/10/nse-national-audit-committee-olumayowa-idowu-selected-along-with-others-to-participate-in-the-inaugural-aig-public-leaders-programme/