Directors and Heads of Departments in the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development have signed a Performance Contract with the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi, to institutionalize the Performance Management System in the Ministry on Thursday 4th July, 2024 at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
In his address at the occasion, the Permanent Secretary emphasized that Performance Management System was one of the key pillars of the ongoing reforms in the Federal Civil Service, noting the signing of the performance contact was in alignment with the national priorities and presidential deliverables.
He added that it would ensure that the Ministry remained among the leading Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies (MDAs), in the implementation of the ongoing reforms in the Service.
“I am happy the signing of performance contracts with our directors is happening today. It is a clear testament to our collective commitment to excellence and efficiency”, he expressed.
The Permanent Secretary disclosed that the pillar 5 of the Presidential priorities focusing on “Transportation and Infrastructure as enabler of growth” which was a mandate given to the ministry to drive is one of the three components that formed the framework for the development of the Ministerial Performance Management System Plan (MPMS) through which the departmental Performance Contract were developed.
“Other components are the Operational Priorities of the Ministry, derived from the National Development Plan; and, the Service-wide Priorities that comprised critical pillars and initiatives from the Federal Civil Service Strategies and Implementation Plan 2021-2025 (FCSSIP25),” he added.
Dr. Ogunbiyi, noted that the Performance Contract was not for promotion purpose but designed to ensure officers are assigned responsibilities, and will form the basis of appraisals during the process of evaluation, pointing out that critical activities and projects of the ministries have been developed into Key Performance Indicators (KPI), Targets and Milestones.
He added that performance contract was a blueprint for action; “They outline specific objectives, timelines and measurable outcomes that will guide our efforts in coming months”.
While reminding the Directors of the significant role they play in driving forward the reform agenda of the Federal Civil Service and priorities of the government, the Permanent Secretary tasked them to be dedicated to ensure the successful implementation of the targets and milestones in their contracts, also expressing readiness to provide necessary support needed.
“I will expect you to immediately commence the process of cascading signing of performance contracts with your subordinates and ensure that it is done within the next two weeks”, he directed.
According to the Permanent Secretary, Performance Management System, (PMS), is very important in the ministry since providing affordable houses, a mandate of the ministry requires the collective responsibilities of every department in the ministry.
“We have to develop the Bill of quantities, award the contracts, supervise the contractors on the field as well as carry out evaluation, all this would be done by the staff of the Ministry, so PMS is to bring out the best of all the staff to ensure that everybody plays his role and we assist the external contributors which are the contractors to perform their work; the assignment is for everyone but the PMS will bring out the best of all the people in the house such that the Presidential deliverables are achieved”, he explained.
Dr. Ogunbiyi mentioned that innovation is one of the pillars of the reform currently going on in the service; according to him, every staff will work towards having innovative idea that would help achieve goals, revealing there would be annual reward for innovation as well as serious sanctions to officers who fail to discharge their duties effectively.
Earlier in his remarks, the Director Planning, Research and Statistics, Mohammed Bala Saulawa, said that the contract symbolized a commitment to excellence, accountability, and the shared vision held for the future of the Ministry.
He congratulated the Permanent Secretary for his leadership and foresight in fostering a results-oriented culture within the Ministry, adding that his guidance and support has been instrumental in steering the Ministry towards achieving its goals.
Saulawa further commended the Directors for their steadfastness and vision in translating policies into actions that positively impact the nation and its citizens.
“As we embark on this journey, let us remember that our responsibilities are not just to meet targets but to exceed them, to innovate, and to inspire together, we have the power to shape the future of our Ministry and to contribute meaningfully to the development of our country” he said.
Oluseyi K. Nwachuku
AD (Press)
