By OKON OKON

The Federal Government on Tuesday awarded N5 million to the Carpooling Team, winners of the 5th edition of the Annual Federal Public Service Innovation Competition.

The Carpooling Team, comprising five members, emerged as the top winner in the competition organised by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF).

Speaking at the award ceremony in Abuja, the HCSF, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, said that the competition was one of the core strategies under the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021–2025 (FCSSIP 25).

“Today’s event is particularly significant because innovation is one of the six pillars of FCSSIP 25.

“By institutionalising a competition of this nature, we are strengthening a critical component in building a future-ready and globally competitive civil service,” she said.

Walson-Jack commended her predecessor, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, for initiating the competition in 2020, which she said had translated creative ideas into practical solutions within the civil service.

“This initiative has unlocked new possibilities for service delivery, citizen engagement, and national development,” she added.

According to her, the initiative aims to promote efficiency, responsiveness, and adaptability across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

“The competition reflects our collective ambition to deliver smarter, cost-effective, and more accessible public services to citizens, while reducing the cost of governance.”

The HCSF however, used the event to appreciate President Bola Tinubu, whose efforts, she said had transform the sector to global standards

“I wish to express my deep appreciation to His Excellency, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support to the Civil Service.

“His dedication to reform innovation and service delivery continues to inspire and drive our efforts toward building a world-class public sector,” she also said.

Responding on behalf of the winning team, Mrs Terrang Musa described the experience as transformative.

Musa explained that the team developed a digital carpooling platform for civil servants, allowing registered users to choose either financial or non-financial options for shared transportation to and from work.

“For instance, if one team member owns a vehicle, the others can contribute to the cost and get picked up, like an Uber service.

“Alternatively, if all participants have vehicles, the app can assign driving days to reduce daily commuting expenses,” she explained.

NAN reports that the first and second runners-up received N3 million and N2 million respectively, while ten other top-performing teams were awarded N200, 000 each as consolation prizes.

The event was attended by notable dignitaries including former Heads of Civil Service, Mrs Amal Pepple and Mr Danladi Kifasi, among others. (NAN)