The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Civil Service Commission was established with President Bola Tinubu’s approval in order to offer chances for career progression to civil employees working in the FCT Administration.
Mr. Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the FCT, said this while addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday.
According to Wike, Yemi Osibanjo, who was the acting president at the time, signed a bill that the National Assembly enacted in 2018 establishing the CSC for the Federal Capital Territory.
Because Directors in the Administration were unable to reach the pinnacle of their careers because there was no CSC, he claimed that the FCTA’s civil servants had given up on themselves.
He continued by saying that although the statute establishing the commission had been signed, no one wanted to put it into effect for various reasons.
He clarified that while some people were worried about what other people might say, others believed the change would lessen their influence and power.
The minister claimed that until recently, he was unaware of the law’s existence.
“So, I wrote a Memo to Mr President. I say, you have a renewed hope agenda; civil servants in FCT are suffering; they have lost hope.
“They are not committed to work. Why should I be working because at the end of the day, I can’t get to the apex of my career. As such, we must implement that 2018 law as passed by the National Assembly.
“If there are challenges, of course there is no law that is perfect. You can only know the challenges when you start implementing.
“So, let’s implement, whatever the challenges are, then we can begin to talk of how we can amend it
“I can tell you authoritatively that Mr President has given the approval for the establishment of Civil Service Commission for the FCTA,” he said.
Wike explained that with this development, civil servants will go beyond directors to become Permanent Secretaries, adding, “that is the essence of the renewed hope agenda.”
He called on the civil servants to thank Tinubu for this remarkable consideration after waiting for several years.
The minister said that he accepted to work with Tinubu because of his capacity and the political will to do things that other people were afraid to do.
Wike pointed out that one of the problems of the country was leadership, urging that people should not be afraid of doing the right thing.
“What is important is that the action is guided by law, conscience, and guided by the interest of Nigerians and not the interest of me, the FCT minister, or any other person,” he said.