A civil society organisation has decried government non inclusion of CSOs in the selection process of people into leadership positions.
Executive director Centre for Policy Advocacy and Leadership Development Comrade Edwin Olorunfemi during a peaceful protest at the Eagle Square in Abuja, said, “We are of the opinion that it is time for us to be part of the leadership selection process in Nigeria. We can’t just sit back and watch the government appoint people that we do not know their credibility and competence.”
He added that the organisation is using the appointment of permanent secretaries in five states as a pilot project to press home its point that an organisation like it should be involved in the process of selecting and appointment of people to leadership positions in the country.
“As a pilot project for our leadership selection. We believe that Nigeria will succeed if we as citizens who believe in the system put our efforts as stakeholders in the selection process. We saw an opportunity in the selection and appointment of the permanent secretaries into five states – Ekiti, Enugu, Nasarawa, Katsina and Lagos states.
We want to advise the government that appointment and selection of permanent secretaries should be based on competence and not just mere elementary examination.
So, we are taking our time to do background check for anybody that will be appointed. We want to be part of every leadership process,” he said.
Blueprint reports that written and ICT examination for the appointment of permanent secretaries in the five states are slated for Monday May 31st and Thursday June 3rd, 2021.
“We are expecting the government to do the needful by collapsing the ICT proficiency test and examination to oral and interactive session with the selected candidates from the states to have an appointment process which is based on credibility and merit,” Olorunfemi added.
He however said, the advocacy will continue to have a vibrant civil service that can measure up with global best practices in the 21st century.
