THE Federal Government has inaugurated the chairman and members of the Governing Board of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, with a charge to return the College to its former glory.
Head of the Federal Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred E. Oyo-Ita, who inaugurated the board in Abuja, acknowledged that the dwindling resources in the country has negatively impacted on the activities of the college, urging the new board members to think out of the box in generating funds for the activities of ASCON.
She said: “Your appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari, is a clear testimony of the remarkable contributions you have been making, individually and collectively to the development of our great country.
“You are all aware of the dwindling resources available to the government as a result of the recent recession in the country. Aggressive efforts should be made by the board and management of the institution to explore other areas apart from government to fund its operations,” she said.
She said that ASCON was established as a principal organ for sustainable capacity building in both the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy, and that in meeting the objectives on a constant and sustainable basis requires a committed Governing Board and management.
“Your role as board members of ASCON is, therefore, to provide the much-needed direction in supporting the vision of this administration for institutional and human capacity development among others through effective training and re-training of public servants,” Oyo-Ita said.
She reiterated her commitment to achieving efficient service delivery to the citizenry through the adoption of a new work ethos, “EPIC” which stands for “Efficiency,, Productivity, Incorruptible and Citizen Centred.
Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Office of Head of Service, Mr Mustapha Suleiman, in his welcome address, said the inauguration marked another milestone in repositioning the civil service for efficient service delivery.
He said the institution plays a critical role in training and re-training of the workforce in the public service, which is germane to efficient and effective service delivery,
Speaking on behalf of the board members, chairman of the board, Nduka Anyanwu, said that the board would work to ensure the institution achieved the objectives for which it was established.