Former Perm Secs Hold Colloquium On Public Service

Former permanent secretaries in Nigeria under the aegis of The Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries (CORFEPS), will from Tuesday meet to deliberate over the way forward for the country in light of Nigeria’s public service. 

This is part of the activities to mark their  2024 CORFEPS WEEK, which will be held between March 5 and 7 2024.

The theme of the colloquium is “Reflections On Nigeria’s Public Service: Way Forward For Good Governance.”

CORFEPS is composed of tested technocrats with expertise in all sectors of the Nigerian Public Service. It is therefore a rich reservoir of knowledge and experience on the intricate workings of government.

A statement by the national publicity secretary of the CORFEPS, Dr. Goke Adegoroye, said the event was designed to get the Nigerian public service back to the tracks of serving as the engine of good governance.

Adegoroye said the event will help answer many questions, including “How did they do it in those days that there was mutual respect between Ministers and Permanent Secretaries and between Civil Servants and the public? Where did it all go wrong? What is the Way Forward for the Civil Service, in our Quest for Good Governance?”

He added, “Pursuant to its aims and objectives, CORFEPS under its current Chairman has decided to institute the CORFEPS WEEK as a yearly event preferably in the first quarter of each year, commencing this year where, in addition to the Annual General Meeting(AGM) as stipulated in its Articles of Association, members will focus on an issue of national importance which will be exhaustively discussed with a view to providing recommendations on the way forward.

“The CORFEPS WEEK this year has been slated for 5-7 March 2024 and it is coming at an opportune period to enable us celebrate one of the icons of the Nigerian Civil Service, Izoma Philip Asiodu, founding Chairman of CORFEPS and Chairman of the Council’s Board of Trustees, who was 90years old on 26 February 2024. 

“The National Chairman Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, CFR and the First National Vice Chairman Engr. Ebele Okeke, CFR were with him as he marked his birthday with due modesty and class, both in tune with his own life style and ethics as a quintessential civil servant, andas an example to the nation, in a Luncheon at the Metropolitan Club in Lagos.  

He said this year’s CORFEPS WEEK is in three parts, spread over three days as follows: “Tuesday 5 March, 2024: The Colloquium at the Rotunda Conference Hall of the Tafawa Balewa House, Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be declared open by The President C-in-C as Special Guest of Honour. 

The statement added that the lead speakers are: Dr. Bukar Usman, OON a highly distinguished retired Perm Sec in the Presidency, who is to give the general overview

“Dr. Timiebi Koripamo Agary, OON retired Perm Sec with a highly distinguished tour of duty as Perm Sec Federal Ministry of Labour, who will present the Insider’s Perspective.

“Mr. Martins Oloja, MD/Editor-In-Chief of The Guardian, Nigeria’s foremost Journalist on Public Policy, who will present the Outsider’s Perspective”

It added that there will be three discussants, all retired Perm Secs, namely: Amb (Dr.) Godknows B. Igali, OON; Ammuna Lawan Ali, OON; and Dr. Goke Adegoroye, OON.