By Philomina Attah
The Federal Government has charged its newly appointed public officials to uphold transparency and integrity in the discharge of their duties.
The Director-General, Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Mr Dasuki Arabi, gave the charge on Wednesday in Abuja at the opening of a three-day induction and training programme for newly appointed Chief Executive Officers, Chairmen and Board Members of federal parastatals, agencies, and commissions
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was organised by the bureau with support from the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).
Speaking at the programme which centre on organisational effectiveness and corporate governance, Arabi said the values of transparency and integrity were critical to effective governance and institutional excellence.
He explained that the training was organised to strengthen accountability, promote good governance, and cultivate mandate-driven leadership across the public sector.
He said the programme aligned with the priority objectives of President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” aimed at strengthening public institutions for effective service delivery.
“As CEOs and board members entrusted with strategic leadership roles, your decisions, conduct, and performance directly influence citizens’ trust in government and the credibility of public institutions.
“This induction, therefore, offers a unique opportunity to reflect on your constitutional and statutory responsibilities, clarify the boundaries between board and management, and align your leadership with the principles of transparency and integrity,” Arabi said.
He noted that the training would equip participants with a deeper understanding of governance frameworks, public financial management, and the Public Service Rules (PSR 2021 edition) to eliminate friction between boards and managements.
In his remarks, the Resident Representative of KAS Nigeria, Mr Moritz Sprenker, cautioned the public officials against the dangers of corruption, which he described as “a major developmental hurdle.’’
He noted that corruption weakens institutions, erodes public trust, and undermines the legitimacy of the state.
Sharing a personal experience at the Abuja Airport where officials asked him for favours in spite of anti-corruption signs, Sprenker emphasised that anti-corruption efforts must go beyond written documents and manifest as daily practice.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of the Centre for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity, Mr Umar Yakubu, commended BPSR and KAS for their steadfastness in strengthening the foundational pillars of public institutions.
Yakubu said public integrity required a consistent alignment of institutional actions with the public interest.
Expressing her expectations, one of the participants and Director-General of the Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development, Dr Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi described the training as a timely intervention for skill re-profiling.
She said the induction would upscale the capacity of new appointees to effectively deliver on the presidential mandate and drive institutional excellence.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Rotimi Ijikanmi
