A retired Director of the Federal Ministry of Works, Engr. Bukar Muhammad, has called for comprehensive reforms in Nigeria’s civil service.
He advocated that pension administration, promotion and recruitment be reviewed.
Muhammad, a former Head of Engineering Management Services at the ministry, made the call in Abuja during his retirement ceremony after 31 years in public service.
He urged the government to reform the pension system to ensure retirees receive their entitlements promptly and in full, rather than through prolonged delays and instalment payments.
“Pension needs to be reformed. What is due to us, give it to me. Let me go and manage my life,” he said.
Muhammad also called for greater involvement of retirees in decisions affecting their welfare, saying the government should consult them before introducing policies targeted at pensioners.
On promotion, he advocated a more transparent and efficient system that would motivate civil servants, boost productivity and encourage professionalism.
He equally urged the government to strengthen merit-based recruitment, expressing concern over alleged cases where employment letters were issued without transparent processes.
“Get people that merit the position that you are advertising. Then they will raise this country to a far better level,” he said.
Reflecting on his 31 years in the civil service, Muhammad said engineering activities in the public sector were largely satisfactory, with about 80 to 90 per cent of projects meeting expectations.
He, however, identified inadequate funding and delays in government payments to contractors as major challenges affecting project execution.
According to him, contractors often obtain bank loans to finance government projects, and delayed payments expose them to mounting interest charges, which can wipe out expected profits.
“At a point, the job has no profit; there is no interest. So, this situation is making contractors lose interest in government jobs entirely,” he said.
Muhammad urged the government to prioritise timely payment for completed projects to sustain contractors’ confidence and improve project delivery.
He also encouraged civil servants to embrace continuous learning and self-development, urging them to use periods of limited official activity to acquire new skills and improve their professional capacity.
“You don’t just take up an office and sit. If nothing is happening at that time, go and explore. Look for ways to improve yourself,” he said.
Muhammad said investing in the capacity of civil servants would ultimately contribute to national development by making government processes faster, easier and more efficient.
(The Whistler)
