As part of Prof. Tunji Olaopa’s strategic move to transform the Commission in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria team paid him a courtesy visit today in his office.
The visit, according to the Chairman will afford the organisation the leverage point to partner with the Commission on its reform agenda; as well as creating an opportunity to have a structural collaboration within the transformational trajectory that is unfolding on Nigeria’s development challenge.
He disclosed that part of Mr. President Charge to the re-constituted Commission is to lead the change. Hence, rapid assessment was conducted on the Commission with a view to properly execute the reform. He added that the assessment-outcome-document which will be shared with Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) will also be presented to the President today or tomorrow.
Flanked by Acting Permanent Secretary Mr. Ede Ogaba-Director, Recruitment and Appointment, he stated that in spite of many capacity deficiency of MDAs, they are veritable engine room in whole value chain. He said getting the MDAs capability and capacity ready to deliver is important because capability readiness of the MDAs is the key issue.
He revealed that as a Special Adviser on Transitional Council he had the opportunity to know the depth of nuisances of Renewed Hope Agenda; which he called “grand strategy of strong change management programme” and performance management with its embedded performance bond for MDAs.
With the signing of Performance Bond, the stage is set in getting the MDAs capacity and capability ready to deliver. According him, the Federal Bureaucracy is structured between political and technical leadership saying that for a government that promotes a government of national competence, many technocrats have been injected into the service who now wear two caps, that is, political and technocratic leadership including the administrative leadership. This tripod needs to be in-sync before any programme is approved by the President which informed his recent visit to the SGF office; in addition to his working relationship with the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination.
Olaopa said as a push for the unfolding reforms at the Commission, he has had various levels of conversation with private sector which includes NECA, CIPM, MAN etc. which has provided an venue to deepen the conversation, how the Commission can work better and how understanding and cooperation between the public and private sector can be fruitfully harnessed.
Speaking earlier, President and Chairman-In-Council, Alex Ndudu Enebeli who led the team to Commission, thanked the Chairman for receiving them within his tight schedule. He congratulated him for appointment being an esteemed member of the institute.
According to Enebeli, the organization will give their maximum support to Olaopa as he tried to carry out his reform agenda on the Commission. He promised that the institute will add value to his administration’s projects and programmes; adding that the organization has been empowered by law to collaborate with other organizations in the areas of capacity building, retreats, workshops, seminars, consultancy etc. that will facilitate the achievement of targeted goals.
He intimated the Chairman that the institute is putting together executive level Seminar that will attract high level management officers from MDAs from grade levels 15 and above. He, therefore, solicited the support of the Chairman on this by sending at least two officers to the programme to benefit from it.
Signed.
Taiwo Hassan
Head (Press & Public Relations).
