By joshua 
Recognizing Dignity of Labour in the Civil Service Can Significantly Boost Administrative Productivity, by Fostering A Sense of Pride And Value Among Workers
Paper Presented
By Abu Michael, MPA PGDJ, FNIM, MNIPR at the Charted Institute of Administration, (CIA), Induction Program, held in Lokoja, Kogi State.
Introduction
Definition of Key Terms.
°Recognize: Identify and Acknowledge.
° Dignity: The state or quality of being worthy of honour or respect.
° Labour: Work
° The Civil Service:
(1) Is a Permanent, Professional, and impartial body of Government Employees responsible for implementing the policies and programs of government.
(2) It is a vital institution in a country’s governance structure, staffed by career employees who work under the direction of elected officials.
° Boost: Encourage (something) to increase or improve
° Administrative: The management and operation of an organization, business, or institution
° Productivity: The efficient use of time and resources to achieve goals.
° Fostering:
Encouraging the development of (something, especially something desirable)
° Sense of pride is a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction, associated with a sense of self-worth or accomplishment.
– It can be triggered by personal achievements
– The success of others you care about, or feeling of belonging to a group.
– Pride can be a powerful motivator and contribute to a positive self-image.
° Value: The regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.
• FGN Data shows that *N5.5tn* was the aggregate of monthly salaries by employees of government, according to Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, (IPPIS), as at October 26, 2023.
°Number of workers on the Federal Government’s payroll in June 2023 was *1.5 million.*
°Data obtained from the website of the IPPIS website, however, showed that there were 696 Ministries, Departments and Agencies and *1.14 million workers,* (MDAs) in 2023.
°Personnel costs gulped about *N14.87tn* in three years, according to data obtained from the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy Paper for 2024-2026.
° *61.63 per cent* of government’s planned 2024 expenses was expended on personnel service costs.
Breakdown shows the numbers of federal government employees in various sectors and professions:
1. Federal Civil Service: 312,000
2. Federal Parastatals: 287,000
3. Federal Universities: 134,000
4. Federal Colleges of Education: 50,000
5. Federal Polytechnics: 40,000
6. Federal Health Institutions: 30,000
7. Federal Security Agencies: 50,000
*Much as this paper is specifically on the civil service, it is important for the purposes of elucidation that these figures do not accommodate Nigerians in security, intelligence and defence services such as the military, the Army, Navy and Air Force, who are also paid from government coffers. There are also a host of paramilitary agencies, not captured by the aforementioned figures. These include the: Nigeria Police Force, (NPF); Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps, (NSCDC); Nigeria Customs Service, (NCS); Nigeria Corrections Service, (NCS); Nigeria Immigrations Service, (NIS); National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), amongst others. Summed together, these Services and Departments could account for another one million Nigerians being remunerated from government resources. But this will be the subject of further conversations and interrogations, away from our primary engagement today.*
Indeed, the 2023 figures under reference adumberating the population of Nigerians in the federal civil service have since changed. This has arisen due to various factors such as recruitment, retirement, restructuring and departures, (deaths).
*Source: Office of the HOS of Federation, Budget Office.*
In Kogi State, data on total number of personnel and cost like it federal counterpart is still an issue that cannot be accessed at the click of a button:
An October 22, 2021 report in the *Punch* newspaper, former Gov. Yahaya Bello, during the North-Central public hearing on the review of the revenue allocation formula organised by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, (RMAFC), lamented having 43,788 civil servants and a N3.8bn/month salary burden.
*Public service rules and policies:*
These are guidelines that govern the behaviour and decision-making of public servants:
° Ensuring that they maintain the highest standards of integrity
° Accountability, and transparency.
*Some key rules and policies:*
1. Code of Conduct Establishes ethical standards for public servants, including honesty, integrity, and impartiality.
2. Conflict of Interest Policy: Prohibits public servants from engaging in activities that could conflict with their official duties or create the appearance of impropriety.
3. Gift and Hospitality Policy: Regulates the acceptance of gifts and hospitality to prevent undue influence or favoritism.
4. Confidentiality and Privacy Policy: Protects sensitive information and maintains citizen privacy.
5. Transparency and Accountability Policy: Ensures public access to information and decision-making processes.
6. Whistleblower Protection Policy Safeguards public servants who report wrongdoing or unethical behavior.
7. Anti-Discrimination and Harassment Policy: Promotes a respectful and inclusive work environment.
8. Financial Management Policy: Regulates financial transactions, budgeting, and reporting to prevent mismanagement or fraud.
9. Procurement Policy: Ensures fair, transparent, and competitive procurement processes.
10. Records Management Policy: Governs the creation, storage, and disposal of public records.
These rules and policies help to maintain
° Public trust,
° Ensure effective governance
° Promote a culture of integrity within the public service.
Roles of the Civil Service:
1. Policy Implementation: Civil servants implement policies, programmes and decisions made by elected officials.
2. Public Administration: They manage and administer public services, such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
3. Advice and Guidance: Civil servants provide expert advice and guidance to elected officials on policy matters.
4. Regulation and Enforcement: They enforce laws, regulations, and standards to protect the public interest.
5. Service Delivery: Civil servants deliver essential services to citizens, such as passports, licenses, and benefits.
6. Accountability: They are accountable for their actions and decisions to elected officials, the public, and the media.
7. Neutrality: Civil servants remain politically neutral, serving governments of different political persuasions.
8. Stability and Continuity: They provide continuity and stability in governance, even during changes in government.
That the Civil Service plays a crucial role in supporting the government, implementing policies, and delivering essential services to citizens cannot be overemphasized.
Nigerian Civil servants are, however, faced with numerous challenges which hampers productivity and sense of value, self esteem. These include:
1. Low Remuneration: Poor salaries and benefits, leading to demotivation and brain drain.
2. Inadequate Training: Limited opportunities for professional development and capacity building.
3. Bureaucratic Red Tape: Slow decision-making processes and excessive paperwork.
4. Corruption: Pervasive corruption, which undermines integrity and public trust.
5. Political Interference: Excessive political influence and meddling in administrative matters.
6. Outdated Infrastructure: Inadequate and outdated equipment, technology, and workspaces.
7. High Workload: Excessive workload and lack of personnel, leading to burnout.
8. Limited Career Progression: Slow career advancement and lack of clear promotion criteria.
9. Poor Working Conditions: Inadequate health and safety standards, and poor working environments.
10. Stigma and Low Morale: Negative public perception and low morale among civil servants.
11. Insecurity and Safety Concerns: Exposure to violence, kidnapping, and other security threats.
12. Lack of Autonomy: Excessive control and micromanagement by political leaders.
13. Inefficient Performance Management: Ineffective performance evaluation and management systems.
14. Brain Drain: Loss of skilled and experienced civil servants to other sectors
15. Nepotism: Is the act of giving special favors, such as jobs or promotions, to relatives, people of the same sociocultural affirmation regardless of their qualifications.
Nepotism is essentially a form of favoritism based on kinship, where family members are preferred over others.
Recognizing the value of dignity of labour in the Civil Service is therefore very crucial to boosting productivity making it attractive and competitive.
Here are some ways to achieve this:
1. Acknowledge and appreciate the contributions of civil servants, no matter how small.
2. Fair rewards and recognition: Implement fair rewards and recognition systems to motivate employees.
3. The provision of Housing, Car Loans, In-service Training, Health Insurance, etc
4. Deliberately offer employments to best brains.
5. Allow the best brains the opportunity to advance in the pursuit of knowledge. Where specialized trainings are needed abroad, this may serve as motivation.
3. Empowerment: Empower civil servants to take ownership of their work and make decisions.
4. Training and development: Provide opportunities for training and development to enhance skills and knowledge.
5. Positive work environment: Foster a positive work environment that promotes respect, inclusivity, and well-being.
6. Clear communication: Encourage clear communication and feedback through town hall meeting to ensure employees feel valued.
7. Work-life balance: Promote a healthy work-life balance to reduce stress and burnout.
8. Celebrate milestones: Celebrate employees’ work anniversaries, years of service, and significant career milestones.
9. Employee engagement: Encourage employee engagement through regular surveys, town hall meetings, and suggestion boxes.
10. Leadership by example: Leaders should model the behavior they expect from their employees, demonstrating respect and appreciation for dignity of labour.
When you recognize the value of dignity of labour, the civil service will:
– Boost employee morale and motivation
– Enhance productivity and efficiency
– Improve service delivery
– Increase job satisfaction and retention
– Foster a positive work culture
In conclusion therefore, dignity of labour is essential for a productive and effective civil service in Nigeria.
The administration of Governor Usman Ahmed Ododo is reinventing and repositioning the Kogi State Civil Service for greater service delivery. Workers’ salaries, allowances, even bonuses are fully and regularly paid. Outstanding pensions and gratuities are also being revisited and redeemed by the incumbent administration as morale boosters for the civil service, present and past.
The Ahmed Ododo era deserves the support of the civil service who are so very important in the socioeconomic scheme of Kogi State. Every other family in Kogi State does have a first or second generation relative as representative in the bureaucracy of the state.
Governor Ododo who is less than two years old in office has demonstrated faith and high regards for the civil service. To be sure, the Kogi State Governor himself was once a Civil Servant who has experienced first hand, the toils and travails of fellow Civil Servants over time. With the support of the all-important bureaucracy of Kogi State, so much more can still be mutually delivered by the state and the service if Civil Servants engage and ensure that they continue to review their charter of demands.
As reflected in today’s topic of discuss, recognizing dignity of Labour in the Civil Service Can Significantly Boost Administrative Productivity, by Fostering A Sense of Pride And Value Among Workers.
I thank you for listening.