During the closing ceremony of the Aig-Imoukhuede Public Leaders Programme in Abuja on Wednesday, Professor Attahiru Jega, the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, spoke about the poor quality of leadership within the Nigerian public service. He expressed his concern that the leadership in this sector is not up to par, in a speech titled “Public Sector Leadership in Times of Crises.”
The former Independent national electoral commission INEC chairman stated that, “In most developing countries, and certainly in Nigeria, the quality of public sector leadership lags behind what obtains in other sectors, especially the private sectors, although there is now also increasing concern about the declining values of integrity, as well as professionalism and efficiency in the delivery of services in the Nigerian private sectors.”
Jega noted that, “Substantively, this means that the Nigerian public sector has, for long, been in dire need of ‘re-composition’, for it to efficiently and effectively deliver public goods and services, in order to re-establish the capacity of the Nigerian state to play one of its key roles, which is the deployment of state resources for the satisfaction of citizens’ needs and aspirations, through the delivery of public goods and services that promote, protect and defend human security.”
He stated that the success and growth of any modern nation, whether it be in the public or private sector, as well as in civil society, heavily depends on the quality of leadership provided by those who manage and direct public sector institutions and processes. He also acknowledged that the constant challenge is how to attract, train, and mentor capable employees to become effective leaders with valuable experience and exceptional leadership skills. However, he expressed disappointment that countries like Nigeria have not given enough attention to this challenge.
During the event, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, the foundation’s founder, emphasized that a country’s economic development is closely linked to the performance of its public sector. The foundation firmly believes that developing an African public sector that is effective, value-driven, and focused on results will lead to a significant and measurable improvement in the continent’s social, economic, and political performance. Ultimately, this will result in a better quality of life for its citizens.
“A performing public sector improves the lives of the citizens we serve; for me, at the minimum, I will say, if you say you are a performing public servant, it means that you would make a bad situation better. You would make a good situation better and even you would make the best situation better and that’s all that we expect of you as citizens of the nation that benefit from your service.” Jega stated.
