By OKON OKON

Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), says the Federal Government is working assiduously to address all pension-related challenges facing retirees in the country.

Walson-Jack said this at the inaugural Quarterly Stakeholders and Citizens Engagement Forum organised by the office of the HCSF in Abuja on Friday.

She said her office had held several meetings with pension administrators to resolve the crisis in the sector.

?The forum is a testament to our commitment to an efficient, productive, incorruptible and citizen-centred civil service. Engaging our citizens and partners is not optional, it is imperative for national development.?

She said the Federal Government remains committed to restoring public trust through direct engagement with stakeholders and citizens, which she described as ?a powerful tool for transformation.?

She said the reform process was guided by the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021?2025 (FCSSIP25), now in its final phase.

Walson-Jack acknowledged the role of civil society organisations, the media and development partners in amplifying reform efforts and providing feedback from the grassroots.

Also speaking, the Head of Service, Enugu State, Mr Godwin Anigbo, said the forum provided a platform for knowledge sharing between federal and sub-national levels.

According to Anigbo, it has enabled us to compare notes on reforms and policies, and to take home actionable ideas to strengthen our state civil service.

In his remarks, Malam Ahmed Gobir, President of the Governing Council, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), said the forum bridged the gap between policy and practice.

?Without skilled, motivated and ethical personnel, no reform or policy can succeed. Stakeholder engagements like this keep people at the heart of policy execution,? Gobir said.

Ms Chioma Njoku, representative of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation at the event, reaffirmed the foundation?s commitment to building a world-class civil service through leadership training, digital transformation, and collaboration between federal and state governments.

She said the foundation would continue to support the HCSF?s office with capacity-building programmes and technical assistance to ensure reforms deliver measurable results.

Alhaji Yakubu Haidara, Head of Service (HoS), Zamfara State, said the pledge by the State Government to support the ongoing reforms in the federal and state civil services aimed at enhancing efficiency and service delivery.

Haidara, who conveyed the goodwill of the government and people of Zamfara under Gov. Dauda Lawal, commended the HCSF efforts in reforming the Federal Civil Service and, by extension, state services.

?It is on record that since her assumption of office barely a year ago, she has recorded tremendous achievements that have impacted positively on the service.

?While we wish her good luck in the years ahead, we urge her to remain steadfast and committed to reforming the civil service,? he said.

Also speaking, Mr Bulus Ololo, representative of the Council of Retired Federal Permanent Secretaries (CORFEPS), described the civil service as the ?backbone, heartbeat and engine? of government.

?Unless the civil service rises to the highest height, the impact of government policies will not be felt. It is on you that this responsibility rests. (NAN)

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