…Charges Academy on optimum performance
By John Ewah and Violet Obamwonyi
In a bid to up-skill and retool public servants in the State, and actualize a public service with such hallmarks as efficiency, productivity and service delivery, the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, established a world class training institute, the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA).
The Academy has been positioned to become a first-class training centre with a comprehensive program schedule aimed at building capacity in public servants, and with focus on effective service delivery.
At a stakeholders’ workshop which was held in Benin City on the 27th of October 2022, the operationalization of the Academy was brought to the fore, with experts sharing insights on the role of JOOPSA in building an effective public service institution to drive sustainable reforms within the public service.
The event also saw the official inauguration of the Inter-ministerial Counterpart Team (IMCT) for the Academy, by Governor Obaseki, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu.
Obaseki while inaugurating the team comprising officers from both the civil and public service, noted that the duty of fixing the public service is a collective task, as it would enable the service work for all even when one is no longer part of the system.
Reiterating the Government’s resolve to transform Edo State into a high performing and self-sufficient State, Obaseki noted that the State strongly recognizes the importance of a capable civil and public service to the actualization of its vision, which has led to the establishment of JOOPSA.
This, according to the Governor, is to ensure that all civil and public servants are up-skilled and well positioned for effective delivery and implementation of the government’s transformation program and policies.
According to Obaseki, “I am happy and delighted that things are changing and the government is moving. Both the Governor and the Deputy are not the real government. We are just here for guidance. The real actualizer of the vision and mandate is you. It is not about the laws made, but those who implement the laws. They are the ones who actually matter. If you have a very good government and those who implement its vision are not carried along, it becomes a visionless government”.
“It is not just about the availability of capacity but it is about taking ownership. There was a time when civil servants were called evil servants just because of the evil acts they were carrying out. At that time, the civil service which is supposed to be the engine room of the government was destroyed. What we are doing right now is to ensure those times never return and we are doing everything to rectify the past” Obaseki added.
Emphasizing the State’s role in setting the pace for the country, Obaseki said: “The nation is going through a lot, but we in Edo have decided that no matter what is happening outside Edo, we are not losing focus, we are concentrating and doing our own thing. And if we do it well, it would be the beginning of a revolution in Nigeria. We are making ourselves role models and pacesetters that other States would come and learn from. The end point is that you are the real government and the engine room; if you get it done right, Nigeria and Edo would be better for it”.
Inaugurating the IMCT, The Governor declared: “On this note, I hereby inaugurate the Inter-Ministerial Counterpart Team (IMCT), and wish them fruitful, resourceful deliberations that will facilitate the operationalization of JOOPSA and accelerate the transformation of Edo State.”
The Governor commended the management of JOOPSA for the laudable methodology in ensuring that the academy is fully operationalized, as the Government has also engaged the services of Development Associates International (DAI) who will now work hand-in-hand with the IMCT.
In his welcome address, the Edo State Head of Service, Anthony Okungbowa Esq., charged participants at the event to take advantage of the reforms in the civil service to up-skill and build capacity which would be beneficial to both the public service and to themselves as individuals.
Okungbowa said: “According to Otto Von Bismarck: ‘With bad laws and good civil servants, it is still possible to govern. But with bad civil servants, even the best laws cannot help’. In a bid for us to get good civil servants therefore, the first port of call was to invest in intellectual property and resources.”
“Government has invested a lot and its expectation is that everyone is advantaged and able to leverage the opportunity that has been provided so that we can become good civil servants and not bad civil servants. We are building a public service whose hallmarks are efficiency, productivity and service delivery. Today is the formal beginning of intellectual property resource development, so I expect all of us to key into it.”
Also speaking at the event was the Chairman of the Edo State Civil Service Commission, Princess Ekiuwa Inneh, who urged all civil servants to leverage the opportunities which the Academy provides, and ensure that whatever is learnt is passed on to others.
According to Inneh, “With the academy, the civil service is on the right path. Let us move forward to take full advantage of the academy. The investment here is quite huge. It is a good thing the Governor has done for us and we have never had something like this in Edo State. Do not die with the knowledge. Go back to the ministry and teach subordinates. Be always ready to share even with those that are at the top too who may not be available to attend all the training, because learning is an everyday thing.”
In her welcome address, the Managing Director of JOOPSA, Ms. Precious Imuwahen Ajoonu, reiterated the vision of the Governor for JOOPSA, which is to function as a vehicle for all training within the State’s civil and public service.
She said: “JOOPSA will provide a clear training methodology as well as play a monitoring and evaluation role in MDA-specialized training, ensuring that the learning outcomes are measurable. As the world moves, know that there is an urgent need to position our workforce for today and the future. JOOPSA, when operationalized with your help, will be one of the great legacies of the transformation agenda of the Obaseki-led Government. Our vision to transform Edo State into a high performing State can only be achieved if we up-skill and retool our workforce. I therefore urge us to open our minds to the boundless possibilities ahead of us”. Ajoonu also commended the Pepsi soft drink, a division of the 7-Up Bottling Company Ltd. Nigeria, for partnering the Academy and sponsoring the event.
The Country Director of DAI Global LLC, Joe Abah Ph.D, commended Edo State Government for its capacity building initiatives in the State’s public service. According to Abah, “I am not aware of any country that has developed in the last 50 years and has done so without a capable public service. The importance of having a public service that is actually serving the people cannot be overstated. Someone asked me in a recent podcast; ‘why should we care about the public service?’ and I noted quite a number of reasons, reiterating the crucial importance of it to health, education, infrastructure and every other aspect of our lives on a daily basis. For the public service to function optimally, it needs to have the requisite trained capacity to deliver for the people. The step which is being taken by the Edo State Government therefore, is highly commendable”.
Due to the urgent need to position the State’s workforce for optimal performance and service delivery Governor Obaseki has continued to demonstrate unwavering resolve in public service reforms in the State.
