COMMUNIQUE REACHED AT THE END OF THE TWO DAY 1ST NATIONAL POLICY DIALOGUE ON STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING SERVICE DELIVERY IN GOVERNMENT PARASTATALS, AGENCIES AND COMMISSIONS WITH THE THEME: “EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE SERVICE DELIVERY: IMPERATIVE FOR ENHANCING THE CHANGE AGENDA” HELD AT THE STATE HOUSE CONFERENCE CENTRE
FROM 27TH – 28TH MARCH, 2017
The National Office for Service Compact with all Nigerians (SERVICOM), under the auspices of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation hosted the 1st National Dialogue on Strategies for Improving Service Delivery in Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions with the theme “Efficient and Effective Service Delivery: Imperatives for Enhancing the Change Agenda” from Monday 27th – Tuesday 28th March, 2017.
2. The Policy Dialogue was declared open by the Secretary to the Government to the Federation, Engr. Babachir David Lawal who was the Chief Host. Other dignitaries present at the Dialogue were the Honourable Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, Honourable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Aisha Alhassan, the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, former Heads of the Civil Service of the Federation, Ms. Ama Pepple and Alh. Isa Bello Sali, past and present Permanent Secretaries, heads of Government Agencies as well as the Military, Police and Paramilitary organisations. 543 other participants from Ministries, Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions, private sector Community-Based Organisations, Civil Society Organisations and Non-Governmental Organisations were at the Dialogue.
3. The Policy Dialogue was conducted through the presentation of the following seven (7) papers which were exhaustively discussed by panels of discussants and participants:
i) Service Delivery and the Change Agenda: New Impetus for a Service Delivery Culture in Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions – Alh. Isa Bello Sali, CFR, former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation;
ii) Corruption as an Impediment to Effective and Efficient Service Delivery – Dr. Akeem Bello, representing Mr. Ibrahim Magu, Ag. Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission;
iii) An Overview of the Service Delivery Initiative: 12 years After – Dr. (Mrs) Christiana Famro, former Head of SERVICOM Institute and Lead Consultant to EU on Governance and Reform;
iv) Strategies for Optimising Service Delivery in Parastatals – Dr. Goke Adegoroye, OON, former Federal Permanent Secretary;
v) Comparative Analysis of Global Public Service Delivery Models –
Mr. Chris Okeke, Governance Adviser, UK, DFID;
vi) Public Service Delivery in Nigeria: The Customers’ Perspective – Mr. Jaye Gaskia, Coordinating Director, Pan-African Centre for Strategic Reflection, Planning and Alternative Action; and
vii) Policy and Legal Framework for Delivering Effective and Efficient Service Delivery in the Public Sector – Dr. Olanrewaju Onadeko, Director General, Nigerian Law School.
4. Observations
After exhaustive deliberations on the papers presented, participants noted the following challenges to the successful implementation of the SERVICOM Initiative:
i. Diminishing commitment by successive Governments to provide adequate resources for SERVICOM operations;
ii. Lack of effective institutional/individual performance measurement mechanisms to assess the elements of service delivery by Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions;
iii. Lack of understanding of the ideals of SERVICOM has resulted in negative perception of and apathy to the initiative;
iv. Lack of synergy among sister agencies of Government and application of cumbersome procedures and processes hampers access to public services; and
v. Pervasive bureaucratic and administrative constraints undermine the delivery of effective services.
5. Recommendation:
In order to ensure efficient and effective service delivery in Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions for enhancing the Change Agenda, the Dialogue recommended as follows:-
I. Re-affirmation of Service Compact by the Federal Government, so as to convey the political will and commitment to the Service Delivery Initiative;
II. An executive bill to provide for an enabling legal instrument to enhance the mandate and operations of the SERVICOM Office should be presented to the National Assembly for enactment into law;
III. In the interim, SERVICOM Office should be upgraded to an Extra-Ministerial Department;
IV. Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) should imbibe SERVICOM principles in the pursuit of their mandates;
V. SERVICOM principles should be incorporated into school curriculum as part of civic education at all levels;
VI. SERVICOM Office should improve its level of collaboration with relevant Agencies and in turn all the relevant Agencies should ensure collaboration with SERVICOM Office so as to create synergy in addressing service delivery issues, especially in the area of service improvement;
VII. There should be improved funding for SERVICOM Office while line budget should be provided for Ministerial SERVICOM Units (MSU);
VIII. The concept of One-Stop-Shop should be pursued as a deliberate policy of Government among sister Agencies to reduce cumbersome procedures and processes at service points of Departments and Agencies providing complimentary services;
IX. SERVICOM should revive and expand its public awareness campaign by making information continuously available for public education;
X. Institutionalization of effective performance measurement mechanisms to assess the elements of service delivery in the Public Service;
XI. Instituting a reward based system for both the institution and individual as a motivating tool to enhance efficient service delivery; and
XII. Deployment of Information Communication Technology (ICT) tools to enhance service delivery processes and systems.
6. Conclusion
The Dialogue resolved that the implementation of the above recommendations would ensure citizen focused service delivery in the Public Service.
1st National Policy Dialogue on Strategies for Improving Service Delivery in Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions
28th March, 2017
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