PUBLIC SECTOR REFORM: INTERIM REPORT SUBMITTED

The Presidential Committee on the review of the Reform Processes in the Nigerian Public Service yesterday submitted it's interim report but requested a one-year extention to enable it submit a more comprehensive report.

Chairman of the committee, Mallam Adamu Fika, said the committee, which was inaugurated in March with a June 30 dateline to complete and submit its report could not meet because of the April elections.

The committee which had its inaugural meeting on day it was inaugurated, however, resume its sitting in June when it started its work in earnest. The committee assessed the nature and enormity of its assignment and came to the conclusion that it would be near impossible to complete its assignment within the stipulated time.

President in his response thanked members of the committee for accepting to serve considering the amount of work they have put in to get to this point of coming up with an interim report.

'I know is very tasking because I know it involved a lot of consultations and a lot of desk work and a lot of thinking. So, we thank you for what you have done.'

'A number of people feel that after the colonial era, Nigeria run a parliamentary system of government and the presidential system of government was introduced in 1979 but within this period, the civil service has not been reformed to fit into the new approach to governance.'

'In the days past, ICT was not a key tool but now things have change significantly, the society is very dynamic so the challenges are there. The thinking of the young people is quite different from the thinking of people of our age, so everything needs to go towards the new direction.

'As a nation we are facing different challenges that were not there before, issues of unemployment, poverty reduction etc. So whatever we do, we have to think of how to move the country forward so that Nigeria will compete favourably with other nations.

'The chairman requested for extension but we need to have an interaction first to know whether the 12 months will be enough or you need less.'