Some middle ranking and senior Nigerian Public Servants are to be given a crash course in how to plan strategically and solve complex problems, with the best chosen to fill gaps in the Federal Planning Officer Cadre.
The two-week training course at the Public Service Institute of Nigeria will begin with around 800 officers, at the end of which 250 will be selected for more intensive training before their transfer to the cadre.
Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan (pictured) said selection for the course had been “rigorous and competitive”.
“In response to the circular inviting applications, a total of 1,704 were received out of which about 800 officers were found eligible based on the set criteria,” Dr Yemi-Esan said.
“Our target is to select the best 250 officers and subject them to intensive training,” she said.
Dr Yemi-Esan said effective governance required the capacity to develop and execute short, medium and long-term strategic plans in order to solve complex problems — and for years this had been lacking in the planning area.
“The critical role of the Planning Officer Cadre in conceptualising and superintending the implementation of Government projects and programs cannot be over-emphasised, but over the years, there has been an exponential decline in the ability of Ministries, Department and Agencies to fulfil these roles,” the Head of the Civil Service said.
“There is an urgent need to identify and develop a new and cerebral crop of officers to effectively carry out corporate and strategic planning through research activities, acquisition, interpretation and preservation of data and information for the Civil Service,” she said.
“This is what we want this initiative to fulfil.”
Dr Yemi-Esan called on the participants to demonstrate eagerness to learn in their quest to make a difference in their service to the nation.
Abuja, 7 July 2021
