30th November, 2020
Lagos Head of Service, HoS, Hakeem Muri-Okunola on Monday said civil servants must update their skills to meet up with emerging knowledge and skills, as yesterday’s skills have proved inadequate to address present needs.
Muri-Okunola spoke at the official meeting of the 42nd National Council on Establishments (NCE) in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.
The HoS said the world was more dynamic today than ever before and that change is the only constant thing, saying that the pace of change was unbelievably fast and that it was inevitable that the future of work itself would be significantly determined by emerging technologies.
“What has become clear is that yesterday’s skills have proved inadequate in addressing today’s issues and there is no gainsaying that today’s knowledge and skills may not be sufficient in confronting tomorrow’s challenges.
“As such, it is imperative that we all recognize the critical importance of updating our rules and guidelines in tandem with emerging knowledge, skills and competences. As someone once said, 75% of the skills set that would define the highest paying jobs in 15-20 years from today are, probably, not in existence yet.
“This simply implies that the Civil Service must prepare for the future of work. As the bedrock of public administration, the Public Service must constantly renew and update itself, without which it would fail in its unique mandate of implementing Government’s policies, programmes and projects,” he stated.
Muri-Okunola said the meeting therefore clearly provided an excellent opportunity for the NCE to re-align and update relevant aspects of the Schemes of Service in line with emerging realities in both academics and in the actual workplace.
“In this undertaking, it is your individual and collective insights and robust inputs that would drive the process of improving service delivery in all the Civil/ Public Services in the Federation,” he said.
The HoS urged the participants to go out of their way to make new acquaintances and develop new friendships that would widen the networks for collaboration and exchange of ideas, in the overall interest of our Civil/ Public Services.
“The benefits of such relationships provide important linkages and resource for both the Public Service and the individuals as well, both during your public service careers and beyond,” said.
Permanent Secretary, Service Policies and Strategies Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Emmanuel Meribole reminded the audience on the importance of meeting with the delegates first which was to prepare for the larger meeting of NCE comprising of both the officials and delegates respectively.
He urged the participants to ensure that the NCE meeting was sustained due to its core importance to the service.
According to Meribole, “the task before us is enormous, in dimension and complexity, but it is not beyond our capacities and capabilities as technocrats to surmount. The need to raise the bar of performance and productivity for a more efficient and effective service delivery to the nation is a compelling one.”
He said the civil service and civil servants must exhibit the appropriate work ethics and values and demonstrate the highest standard of conduct and performance, as hallmark of professionalism at all time.