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OBJ Calls For Recognition Of Technocrats In Civil Service
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has emphasised the need for recognition of technocrats in the civil service, stressing their crucial role in driving reforms and effective governance.
Speaking at the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation’s national workshop in Abuja, yesterday, Obasanjo said, “Technocrats have power, and we must recognise that.”
The Aig-Imoumhuede Foundation is a philanthropic organisation dedicated to improving Africa’s public service and access to primary health care.
The former president referred to the Permanent Secretaries and other civil servants as the technocrats.
He highlighted the importance of collaboration between political heads and technocrats, citing examples from his own experience.
“Reform requires political heads and technocrats working together, respecting and understanding each other. That’s when you can have real reform,” he said.
Obasanjo also emphasised the need for continuity in personnel, stating, “The greatest pain of reform is discontinuity. Continuity of personnel is crucial. Reform is a lifelong process, a journey, not a destination.”
He praised the outgoing and incoming heads of service, saying, “I’m delighted that a lady is handing over to another lady. For me, we are getting there, and we will get there.
“I will continue to respect the Nigerian public service, particularly the technocrats, until I die.”
In a keynote, the outgoing Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, emphasised the importance of understanding why many reforms in Nigeria fail and how to address these challenges.
She stated, “Reforming a system can be daunting, and challenges will arise. It is essential to recognise that there are no infallible systems, and reform is continuous.”
Esan identified several impediments to reform programme implementation in Nigeria, including a lack of inclusive implementation strategy, poor funding, and resistance to change.
She highlighted the Office of the Head of Service’s efforts to address these challenges, including wide stakeholder consultation, governance structure for reform initiatives, and capacity building.
Esan emphasised the key elements for successful reform programmrs, saying, “Systems and support structures, partnerships, high-level monitoring, capacity building, compensation systems, and change management strategy are crucial for success.”
She also acknowledged the progress made in re-engineering the civil service, saying, “It is essential to recognize and celebrate the good work of our officers and partners while sanctioning indiscipline and poor performance.”
In his welcome address at the foundation’s national workshop,
the chairman of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede stated, “It is not their public service, it is your public service, it is our public service, and understand that as it strengthens, you strengthen as well.”
Aig-Imoukhuede highlighted the importance of efficient and motivated public service in achieving good governance, production and distribution of public goods, formulation and implementation of economic policy, and management of public expenditure.
He noted that Nigeria’s current Human Development Index ranking of 161 out of 189 countries is a reflection of the performance of government over several decades.
He emphasised the need for a strong public service, saying, “This is what is holding us back. And you would agree that there’s a correlation between the strength of a country’s public sector and its strength as a nation.”
Aig-Imoukhuede also highlighted the foundation’s efforts to transform public service delivery, including building a critical mass of public sector leaders, providing technical support and funding for digitization efforts, and upskilling thousands of workers in the civil service.
He called on all stakeholders to join hands and make a commitment to reform the public service, saying, “This conversation does not end here. And indeed, the Nigerian Public Sector Reform Project reboots here.”
The Nigeria Immigration Service has officially ended passport production at multiple centres, transitioning to a single, centralised system for the first time in 62 years.
Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this yesterday while inspecting Nigeria’s new Centralised Passport Personalisation Centre at the NIS Headquarters in Abuja.
He stated that since the establishment of NIS in 1963, Nigeria had never operated a central passport production centre, until now, marking a major reform milestone.
“The project is 100 per cent ready. Nigeria can now be more productive and efficient in delivering passport services,” Tunji-Ojo said.
He explained that old machines could only produce 250 to 300 passports daily, but the new system had a capacity of 4,500 to 5,000 passports every day.
“With this, NIS can now meet daily demands within just four to five hours of operation,” he added, describing it as a game-changer for passport processing in Nigeria.
“We promised two-week delivery, and we’re now pushing for one week.
“Automation and optimisation are crucial for keeping this promise to Nigerians,” the minister said.
He noted that centralisation, in line with global standards, would improve uniformity and enhance the overall integrity of Nigerian travel documents worldwide.
Tunji-Ojo described the development as a step toward bringing services closer to Nigerians while driving a culture of efficiency and total passport system reform.
He said the centralised production system aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s reform agenda, boosting NIS capacity and changing the narrative for better service delivery.
The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has disbursed N2.225 trillion as federation revenue for the month of August 2025, the highest ever allocation to the three tiers of government and other statutory recipients.
This marks the second consecutive month that FAAC disbursements have crossed the N2 trillion mark.
The revenue, shared at the August 2025 FAAC meeting in Abuja, was buoyed by increases in oil and gas royalty, value-added tax (VAT), and common external tariff (CET) levies, according to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.
Out of the N2.225 trillion total distributable revenue, FAAC said N1,478.593 trillion came from statutory revenue, N672.903 billion from VAT, N32.338 billion from the Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), and N41.284 billion from Exchange Difference.
The communiqué revealed that gross federation revenue for the month stood at N3.635 trillion. From this amount, N124.839 billion was deducted as cost of collection, while N1,285.845 trillion was set aside for transfers, interventions, refunds, and savings.
From the statutory revenue of N1.478 trillion, the Federal Government received N684.462 billion, State Governments received N347.168 billion, and Local Government Councils received N267.652 billion. A further N179.311 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) went to oil-producing states as derivation revenue.
From the distributable VAT revenue of N672.903 billion, the Federal Government received N100.935 billion, the states received N336.452 billion, while the local governments got N235.516 billion.
Of the N32.338 billion shared from EMTL, the Federal Government received N4.851 billion, the States received N16.169 billion, and the Local Governments received N11.318 billion.
From the N41.284 billion exchange difference, the Federal Government received N19.799 billion, the states received N10.042 billion, and the local governments received N7.742 billion, while N3.701 billion (13 per cent of mineral revenue) was shared to the oil-producing states as derivation.
The Governing Council of Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic, Bori, has decried the inadequate power supply and poor state of infrastructural facilities and equipment at the institution.
The Council also appealed to the government, including Non-Governmental Organisations, agencies, as well as well-meaning Rivers people to intervene to restore and sustain the laudable gesture, dreams and aspirations of the founding fathers of the polytechnic.
The Chairman of the newly inaugurated Council, Professor Friday B. Sigalo, made this appeal during a tour of facilities at the Polytechnic, recently.
Accompanied by members of the team, Prof Sigalo emphasised the position of technology, technical and vocational education in sustainable development.
He noted that with the prospects on ground, and the programmes and activities undertaken in the polytechnic, there is no doubt that the institution would add values to the educational system in our society and foster the desired development, if the existing challenges are jointly tackled.
This was contained in a statement signed by Deputy Registrar, Public Relations, Kenpoly, Innocent Ogbonda-Nwanwu, and made available to The Tide in Port Harcourt.
The chairman who restated the intention of his team of technocrats to ensure that KenPoly enjoys desirable face-lift, said the Council would deliver on its core mandates, accordingly.
Earlier, the Rector, KenPoly Engr. Dr. Ledum S. Gwarah, commended the appointment of Professor Friday B. Sigalo as Chairman of the KenPoly Governing Council.
He described him and his team as seasoned technocrats and expressed confidence in their ability to succeed.
The Rector pledged the management’s support to the Council to ensure that KenPoly resumes its rightful place in the comity of polytechnics in the country.
Facilities visited by the Governing Council include KenPoly workshops, laboratories, skills acquisition centre, library, hostels and medical centre.
Chinedu Wosu
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