By Gideon Ayodele
In recent times, the Nigeria Public Service has demonstrated both the will and capacity to institutionalise a Performance Management System (PMS) geared towards reforming the erstwhile methodology of assessing civil servants. This is with particular reference to the Annual Performance Evaluation Report which among other demerits was unobjective, unverifiable, paper-based and incapable of emplacing consequence management in line with global best practices.
Before the introduction of the new PMS, civil servants were known to coopt clerks or any randomly selected proxy to fill and endorse their APER forms which would serve as the requisite assessment to participate in a promotion exam. Moreso, under the APER system, it was understandable that officers could be easily promoted abetted by ethnic sentiment (referred to in our clime as “let my people go”), available vacancies for positions and maturity of the candidates to sit for promotion exam.
By implication, there is no doubt that this system significantly contributed to the poor quality of officers produced over a period of time, particularly at the directorate/management level. This on the other hand adversely affects the delivery of public good to Nigerians as a consequence of the inability of the public officer to deliver on organizational mandates.
On Tuesday, 7th November, 2023, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation through a circular reference number HCSF/PS/CMO/178/VOL.11/85, published the result of the first stage (Written Exam) of the Permanent Secretary Selection Examination which began on Monday 6th November, 2023.
The exam which was open to eligible Directors from states having vacancies followed the conclusion of a screening exercise. The circular signed by Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe on behalf of the examination committee, revealed that out of the 85 Directors who were cleared to sit for the written exam, a majority of 61 candidates failed to meet the minimum mark of 50 percent.
Consequently, only 20 candidates scaled through the written exam stage. Four candidates were absent, possibly due to apprehension probably triggered by the rigorous selection process or personal reasons. An in-depth interrogation of this process and the outcome of the first stage of the examination divulges a shift in paradigm from what used to be the order.
In the first instance, it is instructive for one to be reminded that an examination or selection process should have the overarching objective of promoting competition. It is also expected that such exercise should have the ability to produce the most qualified individual or entity. Given this perspective and drawing a contrast between the APER System and the new PMS in the civil service, one can infer that the successful outcome of an examination should not be determined by the number of successful candidates, rather it should be premised on the process’s ability to distinctively identify competent and incompetent candidates.
Placing emphasis on the filling of vacancies for the office of permanent secretary or any other strategic position in the public service has neither improved the living standards of Nigerians nor has it shown tangible tendencies of doing so in the nearest possible future.
While Federal Character Principle is largely perceived to likely douse ethnic or political conflicts and agitations, it is yet to be recognized as a nexus between performance and national development. Many Public Sector analysts are also of the opinion that opportunities to vie for certain sensitive positions should be expanded to give other talented individuals in the service a chance to showcase their skills. They argue that the previously suspended eight-year tenure policy had frustrated the career progression of promising officers.
Following the reintroduction and implementation of the eight-year tenure policy by the current Head of Service, Folashade Yemi-Esan, a huge section of the previously stagnated public officers are confident that the new ray of hope coming on the heels of the new merit-based selection process, especially at the top echelon of the service, has reinvigorated their hopes of rising to the peak of their careers.
The need to produce an impeccable and professional crop of Permanent Secretaries cannot be overemphasized particularly in view of the trajectory of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led Administration which has a zero tolerance for poor performance. It would be recalled that at the recently concluded three-day retreat for Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, Presidential Aides and other top government officials at the State House Abuja, the President charged all appointees to put aside personal interests and focus on his government’s immediate concern of pulling Nigeria out of poverty.
To reinforce this stance, Ministers and Permanent Secretaries were made to sign performance bonds with the President coupled with a charge to all implementing authorities to unfailingly demonstrate diligence, innovative thinking, commitment, and an unrelenting focus on results.
Consequent upon these Presidential expectations, the public service cannot afford to condone any display of mediocrity on the part of any public servant talk less of top civil servants. As the engine room of national development, the Public Service institution must resist all attempts to erode the professionalism and excellence the service is recognised for and ensure meritocracy at all levels is not compromised.
The present administration also needs to revisit the issue of Federal Character Principle with the aim of redefining its purpose or ascertaining its current significance so as to mitigate all attempts for it to be abused as an instrument in the hands of socio-political hawks to circumvent mechanisms being put in place by the President Tinubu Administration to drive Performance Management, accountability and consequence management in the Public Service.
We must begin to learn lessons from the selection process of appointing Federal Permanent Secretary which adopts a written examination followed by an ICT proficiency test and Oral interview as a benchmark in accessing officers aspiring to become permanent secretaries. This bold initiative by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation should be supported through sustained political will. This Top to Bottom approach in Performance Management is also worthy of emulation. Hence, the usual playbook of speculation, blackmail, mudslinging and frivolous petitions against the process should be accorded no space for discuss and the message should be echoed loud and clear that it is no longer business as usual.
Ayodele writes from Abuja
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