Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, Minister of the Nigerian Federal Capital Territory, FCTA, has urged public office holders in the FCTA to be disciplined and focused in carrying out their obligations.
The Minister made the remarks at the end of a three-day retreat for FCTA political appointees in Abuja.
“Public office” necessitates a great deal of discipline, and “as a political office holder, you will find that the majority of that discipline must come from within.
He advised them to develop the ability to resist efforts from relatives and associates to compromise their integrity and break public service laws, including procurement processes and gift acceptance.
Bello urged them to create gift registers to keep track of all presents given, received, and by whom, in accordance with existing norms and regulations.
The Minister reminded them that they were legally responsible for all of their activities while in public service, and praised the FCT’s Permanent Secretary and other senior officials for organizing the retreat and bringing in high-profile and well-qualified resource persons.
Malam Bashir Mai Bornu, the Minister’s Chief of Staff, urged the political appointees to reaffirm their commitment to the FCT Administration and to assist the FCT Minister in carrying out his duties.
Also addressing, Mr Olusade Adesola, FCTA Permanent Secretary, stated that during the retreat, participants studied many facets of the FCTA, including government rules and regulations, as well as doing a deep dive into Mr President’s 13-goal mandate.
Mr Adesola went on to say that the retreat looked at where the FCTA stood in terms of delivering on those responsibilities and how the political appointees might be most successful in ensuring the FCTA met its goals in those areas.
He also stated that the retreat achieved its objectives by enabling participants to better equip themselves for more efficient and effective service delivery, and that all presentations, discussions, and resolutions will be available on a microsite to which relevant administration officials can easily refer if the need arises.
Engr Shehu Hadi Ahmed, Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), said the retreat had benefited his organization greatly because presentations from resource persons had further built the capacity of government officials, resulting in a better understanding of what to do in situations such as procurement in emergency situations, variations in contract execution, and so on.
Dr. Bashir Mohammed, Director of the FCTA’s Department of Human Resources Management, stated that the Administration expects to see improved adjustments in officials’ conduct and performance in the future.
Prof Olusegun Olasope, the retreat’s principal consultant, praised the FCT Administration for its efforts to develop the capacity of its personnel and expressed optimism that significant changes in the fulfillment of their tasks should be expected in the coming months.
Dr. Mohammed Kabir, the Chief Imam of the Abuja National Mosque, and Dr. Samson Jonah, the Chairman of the FCT Christian Association of Nigeria, both spoke on the final day of the retreat, reminding attendees that they were ultimately answerable to God in the performance of their duties.
The awarding of certificates to participants was also part of the closing ceremony.
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