The Head of the Civil Service in Kogi State, Dr Elijah Evinemi, has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to revitalising the civil service to align with international best practices.
Evinemi made this declaration on Tuesday in Lokoja while addressing a one-day leadership development session. He described the civil service as the “engine room of governance” and emphasised the importance of ongoing reforms to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
He commended Governor Ahmed Ododo for his unwavering support in strengthening the civil service, ensuring that it remains a key driver in the implementation of government policies.
Evinemi noted that the attendance of Permanent Secretaries and Directors at the session demonstrated the administration’s commitment to capacity-building and fostering efficiency in governance.
A significant takeaway from the session, Evinemi said, was the expansion of the Government Performance Index, which now includes an incentive programme for outstanding civil servants. He stressed that rewarding excellence would motivate civil servants to improve performance, thereby improving service delivery across the state.
Furthermore, Evinemi revealed that a proposal for revitalising the civil service had been presented to the governor, who had given verbal approval for its implementation. He stated that the restructuring aims to position Kogi’s civil service among the best in the country, ensuring its competitiveness in an evolving governance landscape.
In his presentation, Dr Adams Adeiza, an Associate Professor at Sunway University, Malaysia, introduced the Kogi Service Pledge, a framework designed to enhance governance and service delivery. He explained that the pledge is grounded in key principles, including knowledge-driven leadership, openness, accountability, goal-oriented innovation, and inter-agency synergy.
Other principles of the pledge include character and competence, as well as inclusion and diversity, all aimed at fostering a more effective civil service. Adeiza emphasised the importance of Kogi adopting global best practices, citing Singapore and Dubai as examples of successful civil service reforms.
He also urged policymakers to prioritise digitalisation in order to streamline governance processes, improving both efficiency and service delivery in the state. Adeiza recommended the introduction of an enterprise development scheme within the civil service to encourage innovation, self-motivation, and improved productivity among civil servants.
