By Chibuike Nwabuko
Abuja (Sundiata Post) – Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has urged Nigerians in the civil and public service to hold steadfast to the values of integrity, honor and service, adding that these values are not just words, but they are pillars upon which a strong and prosperous nation is built”.
Kalu gave the advise when he received the attendees of “The Platform Public Service Bootcamp (TPPSB)” who are mainly youth at the National Assembly on Thursday in Abuja.
The TPPSB is designed to equip the young people with the necessary skills, knowledge, and motivation to pursue careers in public service.
The exercise organized by the Covenant Nation convener, Pastor Poju Oyemade with Mrs. Sola Salako-Ajulo as the lead facilitator featured a total of 80 participants who are passionate about having a career in public service.
Speaking at the meeting, Kalu said: “I urge you to hold steadfast to the values of integrity, honor and service. These values are not just words. They are pillars upon which a strong and prosperous nation is built”.
The deputy speaker also revealed that an app is currently being developed to help address bureaucratic bottlenecks in the system, stressing that the nation must embrace technology.
“That is why some of us are thinking of a way of bringing digitization into public service space where an auditing App notifies the next in line that the file has stayed beyond one day is supposed to stay on your table. Because the first man who worked on the file clocked in a code within a timeline that the file is supposed to finish. So if it gets to a table and it’s not finished within that timeline, he rings a bell on the system of the other one to tell him, table three, there is a file that’s supposed to come from table two. It has delayed beyond one day. And it’s notifying the Minister that, when they do your service auditing that file has always stayed on your table beyond one day. That way people will sit up, put your hands together.
“We must innovate to make our nation better. And in the age of technology, innovation will always fight tradition to bring transformation. That is, more production, more productivity.
“Is that not so? Young minds invest their mind. What is the kind of public service you want to work in as it is now, or an improved one? That is the question. We must think outside the box”, he said.
Kalu further said that the nation also depended on its civil service to develop.
He also commended the attendees for their interest in the public service, saying however that they needed support.
“We are at a crucial moment in our history, a time when we must redefine our values and reorient our mindset towards service. The success of our nation depends on the quality of our public service, and the quality of our
public service depends on the quality of our public servants.
“We depend on the public service and the public service depends on you. And I’m happy seeing your bright faces and your beautiful mind. I can only imagine what you are bringing on board and to be honest, you need support. This is the kind of vision, this is the kind of program, this is it honestly. This is where the non governmental organizations should develop partners.
“This is where they should put their money to raise the next generation of leaders in the public space, public servant space with quality capacity so that by the time you get in you have the delivery to make. I really love this vision and I’m going to be one of your ambassadors. I encourage you to collaborate with your peers to learn from each other and to always strive for excellence, upholding the values of integrity, values of honor, values of service in all that you do and let these values guide you as you work towards building a better Nigeria for all.
“As you embark on this journey to become the next generation of public servants, I urge you to hold steadfast to the values of integrity, honor, and service. These values are not just words; they are the pillars upon which a
strong and prosperous nation is built”, he said.
