NIGERIA IS 45TH IN GLOBAL GDP RANKING
Nigeria has been ranked as 45th in the world in terms of gross domestic product (GDP). This was disclosed last Tuesday at Abuja by Dr Dahiru Sanni of the Kaduna Business School in a speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the 2nd General Assembly of the Association of African Public Service Commissions (AAPSComs).
He further stated that Africa's GDP represents only two percent of that of the entire world which stands at $93 trillion adding that the US, China, Japan and Germany had the top four GDPs.
He noted that ironically Africa which is underdeveloped is blessed adding that the continent hardly experienced natural disasters.
Dr Sanni further observed that Africa possessed numerous natural resources more than any other continent in the world, citing some of them as gold, petroleum and columbite.
In his speech at the occasion which was read on his behalf by the Head of Service (HOS) of the Federation, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi, President Goodluck Jonathan stated that the Federal Government had continued to make attempts at improving the public service through iincreased service delivery.
According to President Jonathan: 'This is with a view to improve the quality of recruits into the public service, enhance their capacity to customer orientation and adopt change management practices which should strengthen institutional governance and support structures . This should also reinforce basic management skills and enhance employee performance with a focus on results'.
He therefore charged participants at the conference to ensure that individuals with the right attitudes and capacity to transform the public services in the continent were absorbed in the public service of Africa.
The President further stated that he was aware that many public services in the continent which were currently focused on getting employees to imbibe attitude change and adopt modern innovative and performance oriented management practices.
According to him 'Events around Africa have clearly demonstrated that good governance, accountability and public trust were now undeniable realities of our time which the public service will help to promote'.
Speaking at the occasion, the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission Amb Ahmed Al-Ghazali said that the President had approved that the way forward in ushering a new era, to shore up performance in the Nigerian and African Public Service is through the adoption of Performance Contract if the millennium development goals are to be attained in the continent.