The Federal Government is to establish Information, Communication and Technology Learning Centre in all its Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Isa Bello Sali, made this known in Abuja when he declared open the Service-Wide Computer Appreciation Training Programme for Officers on Grade Levels 08 to 10 in the Federal Civil Service.

According to the Head of Service, the availability of such centers in all MDAs will enable officers who have attended the computer appreciation programme and other ICT courses have access to computers and continue to learn at their work environment. 

The Nigerian Civil Service, he said, has had its fare share of capacity building challenges.  It has gone through a period of neglect which has necessitated a critical self assessment of whether we can have a civil service that can work efficiently and effectively in the context of the 21st Century service delivery mechanism. 

Alhaji Sali said further that the goal of the present management of the Federal Civil Service is to, in the near future, have an ICT competent workforce where  E-government is fully operational.

Meanwhile in another development, Alhaji Sali advised civil servants to take a closer look at the new thinking in the service and become relevant in the scheme of things.  He said “we either change our ways and attitudes or be prepared for the consequences of our inaction.”

The Head of Service who made the remarks at the maiden interactive session with Directorate Level Officers in the Federal Civil Service in Abuja, regretted that the federal civil service has come under a lot of criticism in recent times thereby necessitating all the personnel’s collective attention to ensure that the service rises to the occasion and discharges its responsibilities to the admiration of all Nigerians.

He also spoke on the attitudinal problem in the Service, noting that “we are also concerned about the virtual breakdown of discipline in the service. This is worrisome and should be of concern to each and every one of us. The combination of bad attitude, indiscipline and general apathy on our part has led to the current lethargy that has permeated the body of the civil service. We must use our positions to ensure that the Service is rid of these negative tendencies by providing good leadership that our subordinates can emulate.”

He said further that the Federal Government is not unaware of the challenges that civil servants contend with daily in carrying out their duties especially with regard to transportation, housing and other welfare issues, which might have contributed to the myriad of problems resulting in low productivity.