Abuja: The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has restated its commitment to nurturing a competent, ethical, and future‑ready civil service, aligning the initiative with President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” and ongoing reforms in public sector governance.
FCT Head of Service, Mrs Nancy Nathan, made the commitment in Abuja on Wednesday, at the opening of a Strategic Validation Workshop on the FCT Leadership Enhancement and Development Programme (FCT-LEAD-P) for Permanent Secretaries.
Nathan explained that the move was intended to advance the administration’s ongoing leadership and public service reform.
According to her, effective leadership development remains central to policy implementation and improved service delivery to residents of the FCT.
The head of service explained that the programme institutionalises succession planning, talent development, and ethical leadership through a structured, competency-based framework that aligns with local realities and global best practices.
She urged the permanent secretaries to actively contribute to validating the programme’s syllabus, noting that their inputs would shape the quality of future leaders in the FCT civil service.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Common Services, Mr Rotimi Ajayi, underscored the importance of innovation in communication as a vital tool for effective service delivery.
Ajayi described the workshop as “timely and consistent” with the reform drive of the Nyesom Wike-led FCTA and the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan, 2025.
He added that the workshop provided senior officers with an opportunity to retool their communication approaches and strengthen the image and effectiveness of the civil service.
He said that, beyond technical competence, public servants must be skilled at communicating government policies and programmes clearly, credibly, and persuasively to enhance public trust, stakeholder engagement, and citizen satisfaction.
He reiterated FCTA’s commitment to continuing to support programmes that promote professionalism, innovation and excellence in the public service.
Ajayi commended Dr Jumai Ahmadu, the acting Director of the Reform Coordination and Service Improvement Department, for the laudable initiative.
On her part, Ahmadu, during a technical session, explained that the programme was a flagship initiative, designed to strengthen leadership capacity and service delivery within the FCT civil service.
She said the FCTA has made significant progress in implementing the FCT-LEAD-P.
She identified some key achievements as developing a competency-based leadership framework tailored to the needs of the FCT civil service and ensuring its relevance, effectiveness, and sustainability.
She added that a comprehensive curriculum, covering leadership theory, practical skills, ethics, innovation, and public sector reforms, has been successfully drafted in collaboration with key experts.
“The programme also witnessed a transparent and merit-based potential officer’s selection process for the pilot cohort, while stakeholder engagement sessions have been held with directors and technical teams.
“This is to foster institutional ownership and strengthen programme relevance and preparatory arrangements,” she said.
She explained that the validation workshop for the permanent secretaries was to review and endorse the LEAD-P syllabus and align the programme with the Administration’s reform and service delivery agenda.