‘Borno civil service critical to 10-point agenda implementation’

Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Borno State, Usman Jidda Shuwa, has said the Civil Service is critical to the implementation of the state governor’s 10-point agenda.

According to him, Civil Service’s operational activities would boost the policy objectives of Governor Babagana Umara’s agenda on security, education, and good governance.

The other agenda include agriculture/food security, water, roads and rural/urban development, job creation/youth empowerment, reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement, development of commerce/industries, and women empowerment.

Shuwa said: “Experience has shown that neglect of the civil service, quite often, reacts in brazen disregard to public service rules.

“There is a lack of accountability, culture of impunity, indiscipline and gradual decline in productivity of the workforce,” adding that there are also low-performance standards in the service delivery system.

Shuwa also noted that the Governor’s visit to the State Secretariat is an important first step towards identifying the various challenges and institutional inadequacies currently facing the Civil Service.

He opined that: “You must have come face to face with the excruciating challenges in the system,” which he said is characterised by habitual absenteeism, lack of discipline, and steady erosion of the core values of the service.

He reminded that the values of an efficient and effective civil service comprise punctuality, integrity, loyalty, honesty, and hard work, noting that Prof Umara’s visit is part of measures to reverse the negative trend and sanitise the system.

“This is to restore the lost glory of the service as the formidable institutional organ that could formulate and implement government policies and programmes, including the 10-point agenda,” he stated.

He said the governor’s agenda could only be achieved if the various challenges in the Service are decisively overcome, adding that in rejuvenating the guidelines in policy formulation and implementation, workers and management systems are re-oriented to ensure speedy and effective implementation of 10-point agenda.

He, however, argued that the agenda will not be achieved without adequate and sustained security of lives and property, noting that security is the most important responsibility of any government.

He decried that the people of Borno in the last 10 years have gone through horrific trials and tribulation from the Boko Haram insurgency.

“Even though the situation has been tremendously ameliorated by the military, recent events suggest the resurgence of Boko Haram atrocities in some parts of Borno on a daily basis,” he said.