Nigerian Civil Service
Introduction The '''Nigerian Civil Service''' consists of employees in Nigerian government agencies other than the military and police. Most employees are career civil servants in the Nigerian ministries, progressing based on qualifications and seniority. Recently the head of the service has been introducing measures to make the ministries more efficient and responsive to the public.
History The word "civil"" is derived from an old French word "civil", which means "relating to law", and directly from Latin word "civilis", which means "relating to citizen", while the word "service" is derived from an old French word "servise", which means "aids".The Nigerian Civil Service has its origins in organizations established by the British in colonial times.Nigeria gained full independence in October 1960 under a constitution that provided for a parliamentary government and a substantial measure of self-government for the country's three regions.Since then, various panels have studied and made recommendations for reforming of the Civil Service, including the Margan Commission of 1963, the Adebo Commission of 1971 and the Udoji Commission of 1972–74.A major change occurred with the 1979 adoption of a constitution modeled on that of the United States. The Dotun Philips Panel of 1985 attempted to reform the Civil Service. The 1988 Civil Service Reorganization Decree promulgated by General Ibrahim Babangida had a major impact on the structure and efficiency of the Civil Service.The later report of the Ayida Panel made recommendations to reverse some of the past innovations and to return to the more efficient Civil Service of earlier years.The Civil Service has been undergoing gradual and systematic reforms and restructuring since May 29, 1999 after decades of military rule.However, the civil service is still considered stagnant and inefficient, and the attempts made in the past by panels have had little effect.In August 2009 the Head of the Civil Service, Stephen Osagiede Oronsaye, proposed reforms where permanent secretaries and directors  would spend a maximum of eight years in office. The reform, approved by President Umaru Yar'Adua, would result in massive retirement of Permanent Secretaries and Directors, many of whom are from the North.Stephen Oronsaye has said that his goal is for the Nigerian civil service to be among the best organized and managed in the world.Oronsaye retired in November 2010 at the statutory age of 60 and was succeeded by Oladapo Afolabi.
Budget A sense of the relative expenditure on the different areas is given by the table below, which shows the 2008 budget for Federal ministries, departments and agencies.MDA (Ministry, Department or Agency)Budget (Naira)Agriculture & Water Resources113,673,666,845Auditor-General2,477,435,789Code of Conduct Bureau1,126,777,207Commerce and Industry7,758,202,700Culture & National Orientation11,655,900,664Defense151,940,617,034Education210,444,818,579Energy139,783,534,336Environment, Housing and Urban Development15,915,443,907Federal Capital Territory37,958,110,000 Federal Character Commission2,366,945,741Federal Civil Service Commission925,690,890Health138,179,657,132Transportation124,444,316,123Finance11,777,469,168Foreign & Intergovernmental Affairs40,873,686,687Independent Corrupts Practices Commission3,588,338,165Independent National Electoral Commission12,693,517,785Information & Communications18,183,376,503Interior266,371,519,798Justice12,695,948,416Labour and Productivity6,142,634,383Mines and Steel Development6,592,555,334National Planning Commission6,400,000,000National Population Commission5,219,851,968National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission441,347,573National Sports Commission5,562,611,171Office of the Head of the Civil Service6,836,928,125Police Service Commission599,570,075Public Complaints Commission2,008,996,208Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Allocation Commission2,370,007,697Science and Technology16,306,271,658Women Affairs2,988,935,104Youth Development45,591,142,712Note: As of January 2008, one Naira was worth about 0.0057 Euros, or 0.0084 US Dollars.
Permanent secretaries Permanent secretaries head the civil service departments. In August 2009, Stephen Oronsaye announced a major reshuffle where almost half of the permanent secretaries were assigned to new departments. A partial list of the new line-up as of December 2009 follows:
Mass sacking of permanent secretaries by president Buhari On November 10, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari summoned all the permanent secretaries to the Presidential Villa in Aso Rock and compulsorily retired 17 of them; their retirement in force with immediate effect.===Ministries===NameMinistryJoinedServiceCurrentPositionDr. Oderinde Idowu Yusuf Agriculture & Rural Development 2010  presentIdris Adamu Kuta Aviation    Dr A.K. Mohammed Commerce & Industry    Sheidu Bello Ozigis Culture, Tourism & National Orientation 1976-11-30 2005-12-21Ezikiel O. Oyemomi Defense     Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan Education    Dr. Safiya Muhammed Environment 1982-01-19 2001-01-01Dr. Ochi C. Achinivu Finance     Amb J C Keshi Foreign Affairs     Binta A. Bello Health     Ammuna Lawan-Ali Information & Communication 1977-02-17 2001-01-01Dr A.S Adegoroye Interior    Abdullahi Yola  Justice    Dr. Haruna Usman Sanusi Labour 1977-07-01 2001-04-09Suleiman D. Kassim Mines & Steel Development 1978-08-01 2005-12-21Elizabeth B.P. Emuren Petroleum 1980-12 2005-12-21I B Sali Power    Dr N A Damachi Science and Technology    A. S. Olayisade Transport    Dr D B Ibe Women Affairs    Dr. Tukur. B. Ingawa Works, Housing and Urban Development     Danladi I Kifasi Youth Development    ===Commissions===NameCommissionJoinedServiceCurrentPositionDeaconess Joan Ayo Federal Civil Service Commission   Dr. Yahaya A. Abdullahi Niger Delta   Bukar Goni Aji Police Affairs    Engr (Mrs) E.G. Gonda  Police Service Commission    S. D. Matankari State House 1977-08-01 2001-11-01theophilus erebho, unn, PALG===Internal departments===NameDepartmentJoinedServiceCurrentPositionS.A.D Osuagwu OHCSF ---    T.O Iroche OHCSF ---    Dr. (Mrs.) E. A. Abebe OHCSF (CSO)   B. U. Maitambari OSGF SSO 1976-08-03 1999-06-14 Dr Alex Chike Anigbo OSGF-PAO    S. Oronsaye OHOSF 1995-12-18 2001-04-09M. N. B. Danbatta OHOSF-ERO 1980-07-01 2001-01-01Pius I Major OHOSF-MDO    Dr. Imoro Kubor OSGF (Ecological Funds)    Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed OSGF (GSO) 1978-08-16 1999-03-18E. I. Ogbile OSGF -CS    Garba Buwai OSGF-EAO 1979-01-01 2001-01-01===Unassigned===Name JoinedServiceCurrentPositionDr. Lanre Femi  1980-08-01 2001-01-01Ibrahim Talba  1981-10-19 2001-01-01Engr. S. M. Mahmood  1974-07-12 2002-07-15Prof. Ignatius A. Ayua, SAN, OFR  1974-06 2003-03-05Dr. (Mrs) Timiebi K. Agary  1980-04-18 2003-12-18Engr. Raymond N. Okenwa  1981-07 2005-12-21
See also *Federal Ministries of Nigeria*Politics of Nigeria*Civil Service Commission of Nigeria
References