The 44th National Council and Annual Conference of Civil Service Commissions of the Federation has opened in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, with a call on participants to embrace professionalism in public service and human resource management.
Speaking during one of the technical sessions on Monday, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Civil Service Commission, Mr. Phillip Ebiogeh, said the theme of the conference, “Repositioning Civil Service Commissions in Nigeria as a Hub of Professionalism in Public Service Human Resource Management”, is timely and aligns with contemporary public sector reforms.
He said the conference would expose participants to expectations of a modern civil service that is merit-based, productive, proactive, ethical, performance-driven and citizen-centred.
Ebiogeh noted that the discussions would promote principles of good governance as outlined in the Civil Service Handbook, which emphasises professionalism, accountability, transparency and efficiency in public administration.
He said, “The Public Service today operates in a rapidly evolving socio-economic and technological environment, global labour market transitions, digital government imperatives, and rising citizens’ expectations demand a workforce that is not only competent but adaptable, innovative, and alignes with global standards.
“As gatekeepers of meritocracy and custodians of public service values, Civil Service Commissions must therefore transform into strategic human resource institutions—not merely recruitment agencies, but champions of professional standards, workforce planning, career development, and ethical governance.”
He added, “Central to this transformation are several reform pillars: Professionalisation and Merit-Based Human Resource (HR) Systems. Strengthening recruitment, promotion, and disciplinary processes to ensure fairness, objectivity, and adherence to extant rules such as the Public Service Rules (PSR, 2021).
“Embedding competencies and performance indicators into HR decisions, consistent with the Comprehensive Competency Framework for the Federal Civil Service which highlights behaviours and skills expected of officers at all levels”.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Abia State Civil Service Commission, Mrs. Ekaette Oham, said the theme of the conference serves as a wake-up call for federal and state civil service commissions to take legislative steps toward functional human resource management.
She said, “Therefore, we must go beyond the rhetoric to imbibe visible and identifiable practices to reposition the civil service”.
Oham urged participants to engage actively and embrace collaboration throughout the event.
She said, “Let us not leave here armed only with recommendations, but with renewed zeal and determination to implement them. The repositioning of our civil service commissions is not a task for tomorrow. It is a responsibility for today and together we must rise to it.
“This conference, therefore, provides us with a unique platform to dialogue and to profess a new trajectory for reflections on strengthening our institutions, capacities and competences.
“Over the coming sessions, we shall interrogate current practices, share experiences and explore strategies that will strengthen recruitment processes, enhance training and capacity development and entrench professionalism across all public service.
“Our deliberations must aim at building a civil service that is not only competent and ethical, but also responsive to the needs of our nation in the 21st century”.
The conference, which commenced on Sunday, November 30, with the arrival of delegates, is scheduled to conclude on Friday, December 5, and is expected to produce outcomes aimed at repositioning civil service commissions as credible and reform-driven institutions.
