In what may be a prelude to moving Planning, Research and Statistics Departments (PRS) in the Federal Civil service to be under the supervision and control of National Planning Commission, the federal government is consulting wildly with various stakeholders.
In a finding by the Economic Confidential a Retreat for Directors of Planning Research and Statistics of various ministries and agencies was organised by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation in collaboration with the National Planning Commission in Minna, Niger State on modality for the reform.
Presently in the federal civil service, account officers report to Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Engineers reports to Federal Ministry of Works, Information Officers report to Federal Ministry of Information and Communication, Legal officers report to Ministry of Justice while other officers report to the Office of Head of Service of the Federation (OHOSF).
The Economic Confidential further gathered that the process of merging PRS Department under the commission may take place next year after it would have been considered and approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC). The DPRS would then be reactivated, repositioned, reengineered and fully equipped with the right tools and Personnel to formulate, implement and monitor the NV 20:2020 plans.
The recent Retreat which theme is ˜Repositioning the DPRS in the Federal Civil Service’ was intended to equip the Department of Planning, Research and Statistics in the Federal Civil Service with requisite skills and modalities towards effective implementation of the Nigeria’s Vision 20:2020 Economic Transformation Blueprint and its First Implementation Plan 2010-2013.
The Minister of National Planning Commission, Dr Shamsuddeen Usman described the event as unique being the first formal Retreat to be held after the approval and launching of the NV20:2020 Economic Transformation Blueprint and also jointly organised by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and National Planning Commission for DPRS since the inception of the current Administration.
The Minister also said that measures to reposition the DPRS received the primary focus of National Planning Commission and Office of Head of Civil Service since last year considering the huge responsibility on DPRS for the successful implementation of the NV20:2020 and its First Implementation Plan.
Dr Shamsuddeen pointed out that the extent of the commitment of the current Administration to medium and long term strategic planning for sustainable development has been aptly demonstrated by the deliberate measures taken to address critical issues in the management of the national economy including the development of the capacity and skills of senior officials in the federal civil service.
He further mentioned that National Planning Commission has in the recent past organised two service wide workshops for the DPRS in the federal MDAs to purposely strengthen and further equip them with skills necessary to facilitate improved performance in service delivery in the public service as such this Retreat is therefore designed to Compliment those earlier workshops held by NPC.
˜DPRS in the federal civil service were actively involved in the formulation of the sectoral goals, objectives, measures and projects of the First Implementation Plan, as such their officials are expected to play a lead role in ensuring an effective implementation of the plan by explaining its components to colleagues in their respective MDAs and educate them on the need to faithful implementation of the plan’, the Minister further highlighted.
Dr Shamsudden then revealed that the Federal Executive Council has recently approved the Monitoring and Evaluation framework and DPRS in line with the provisions of the civil service reorganisation decree number 43 of 1988 has an active role to play in its implementation and is also expected to liaise with the relevant sectoral MDAs at the sub-national level to secure buy-in and effective implementation. Ensuring that annual capital budgetary submissions of MDAs are in accordance with the priorities of the plan is another is another important role expected by the DPRS.
In his earlier remarks, the Secretary to National Planning Commission, Professor Sylvester Monye has stated that National planning Commission and Head of Service Office has organised the workshop with a view to mapping out strategies that would enhance capacity in the DPRS in the federal MDAs for better performance and implementation in quality policies, program as well as plans formulation and implementation in the public service.
