The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, has said that probity and accountability are imperative in corporate governance to ensure organizational performance.
The Head of Service made the assertion in her address titled “Corporate Governance Practice and Organizational Performance in Nigeria – Public Sector Perspective” at the plenary session of the 2018 Annual Directors’ Conference organized by the Institute of Directors Nigeria held on 8th November, 2018 in Abuja.
Mrs. Oyo-Ita, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of Federation, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, noted that probity and accountability in corporate governance thrive where there is the culture of value. In order to promote the culture of value in the Public Service, she said, EPIC Culture is included as one of the priority areas of the 2017-2020 Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan developed by her office to transform the Public Service.
She explained that EPIC which stands for Efficiency, Productivity, Incorruptible and Citizen-Centred culture is a change enabler that would promote the core values of probity, transparency and accountability in the Public Service.
The Head of Service said the Public Service, which is an arm of Government, is saddled with the responsibility of implementing policies and programmes that guarantee the efficient delivery of good governance and democratic dividends to citizens. “It is this assignment of responsibility of specific tasks that evolves the creation of Parastatals and Agencies of Government,” she said.
She stated that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service which is the conscience of the Service ensures adherence to the Rule of Law, including the provision of guidelines and circulars that guide the operations of the various MDAs in the delivery of Government policies and programmes.
In his welcome address, the President/Chairman of Council, Institute of Directors Nigeria, Alhaji Ahmed Rufai Mohammed, said this year annual conference is expected to brainstorm on the best practices to be adopted in the nation’s quest for best governance.
Mohammed said the institute believed the nation’s woes in the public and private sectors are traceable to leadership. He added that the Institute will engage Government on the outcome of the conference with a view to addressing the observed woes.
The Institute of Directors Nigeria (IoD Nigeria) is a professional Institute in Nigeria. Its annual conferences are geared towards facilitating dialogues between Government and private sector to ensure the formulation of business-friendly policies.
