President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday in Abuja tasked the new Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF),
Alhaji Goni Aji, to intensify efforts at enhancing discipline and curtailing corruption in the service.
The President made the remark shortly after Aji took his oath of office at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa.
Jonathan said that Aji must work hard to return the service back to its past glory as centre of excellence, efficiency and
hard work.
The President also called on all civil servants particularly the permanent secretaries to cooperate with the new HOCSF in
the restoration of the civil service
``As you set about your duties, I expect that you will intensify your efforts to enhance discipline and curtail corruption
in the service.
``The civil service was historically acknowledged as a citadel of excellence where the best brains, equipment and
strategies are engaged.
``Under your leadership, we must all work hard to bring back that type of civil service in the interest of our nation.
``It is in this regard I want to call on all civil servants to lend you their unalloyed support, especially the permanent
secretaries that will work with you and cooperate in the movement to greater efficiency, dedication and patriotism in
service.’
The President noted that the civil service was very central to the realisation of his administration’s transformation
agenda.
To that extent, he said the new HOCSF should pay special attention to the on-going reforms aimed at the ensuring rapid
economic development of the country.
``The expectation of the government and our peoples is that you will now build on the achievements of your
predecessors so as to complete on-going reforms.
``In particular, you must focus on those sectors that will help the administration to deliver with urgency, reliefs and
benefits which are the core of our survival as a people.
``You must also pursue with vigor the true implementation of the performance management system in the civil service.
``I belief its full implementation will positively improve the ability of civil servants to discharge their responsibilities.’’
Jonathan congratulated Aji on his appointment and expressed the confidence in his ability to deliver on his mandate.
He seized opportunity to express government’s appreciation to the immediate past HOCSF, Alhaji Bello Sali.
In an interview with State House correspondents, Aji said that repositioning the service and address the challenges of job
racketeering would be top on his agenda.
``Our immediate priority, as directed by President, is to reposition the Civil Service for the attainment of the objectives
under the transformation agenda of government.
``And how we intend to do this is that, we will a little bit slightly depart from the way we do things in the past.
``We will emphasise on fast-tracking processes so that we will ensure there are concrete outcomes for our people to see
and that is the immediate priority that I will place my attention to.
``My predecessors have done excellent job on that direction and that for us to continue to gain the confidence of
Nigerians, we have to do that.
``Because, whether civil service or whatever level you find yourself in the service of the nation, what matters most is
what comes to the people at the end of it and this is what I will assure Nigerians that we are ready to do.’’
Aji said he would set up the machinery to track down the syndicates who tapped into the websites of Ministries,
Departments and Agencies of government to offer fake employments.
Born on Jan. 13, 1959, Aji, who hails from Yobe State, attended Government College, Maiduguri, Borno College of Basic
Studies, Maiduguri, and graduated from the University of Maiduguri in 1984.
A career civil servant, Goni Aji was the Chief Administrative Officer, Governor’s Office, Maiduguri (1989-1991) and
Principal Secretary to the Military Administrator of Yobe State (1991-1992).
He was also the Principal Secretary to the First Civilian Governor of Yobe State (1992-1993) and Principal Secretary to
the 2nd Military Administrator of Yobe State (1993-1995).
Aji was appointed Director, Planning, Research and Statistics at the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in 1995 and
moved to the Federal Ministry of Defence in the year 2000 as Director of Personnel Management.
He headed various departments in the Ministry of Defence until his posting to the Office of the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation in 2008 as Director, International Organisations.
The new HOCSF was appointed Permanent Secretary in 2009 and posted to the Ministry of Defence.
He later served as Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Police Affairs (August, 2009 – August, 2010) and Permanent
Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works (September, 2011 – November, 2012).
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