By Chibuzor Alli
The Federal Government’s ability to effectively implement policies and manage public resources could be undermined by inadequate capacity within the public service, the Auditor-General for the Federation, Dr Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira, has warned.
Chira said the growing complexity of government operations required public servants to continuously upgrade their knowledge, professional skills and competence to meet rising expectations for efficient and accountable service delivery.
He described the Nigerian public service as the “engine room” of policy implementation, public accountability and service delivery, stressing that capacity development had become increasingly important as government responsibilities expanded.
The Auditor-General spoke at the launch of The Next Level: Questions and Answers for Public Service Examinations, authored by Adesoye Tajudeen, a director in the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation.
According to Chira, public servants could no longer depend solely on existing knowledge as government operations increasingly involve complex areas such as financial management, procurement, taxation, auditing, regulation and technology.
“As the responsibilities of government continue to expand in scope and complexity, there is an increasing need for public servants to continually enhance their knowledge, skills and professional competence to remain effective, relevant and responsive to the expectations of government and citizens alike,” he said.
Capacity gaps could affect public resource management
Chira’s warning comes amid growing demands on government institutions to deliver services efficiently while ensuring that public resources are properly managed and accounted for.
He said the quality of the public service workforce remained central to how effectively government policies were translated into programmes and services for citizens.
The Auditor-General also cautioned public servants against viewing promotion examinations simply as requirements for career progression.
Rather, he said the examinations should help determine whether officers possessed the knowledge and competence required to take on greater responsibilities and leadership roles.
He described Tajudeen’s publication as a contribution to strengthening professional capacity within the public service.
The book covers areas including audit practice, financial regulations, public service rules, foreign service regulations, procurement procedures and taxation.
Chira said its practical approach was particularly useful because the questions were designed to test not only candidates’ knowledge but also their ability to apply that knowledge to public-sector operations.
CBT changes promotion exam preparation
The Auditor-General also disclosed that the Federal Civil Service Commission had adopted the publication as particularly relevant to the ongoing transition to computer-based testing for directorate cadre promotion examinations.
The move to CBT, he said, had introduced a new dimension to examination preparation, requiring candidates to combine knowledge of their professional fields with familiarity with technology-driven assessments.
Chira therefore urged public servants, especially officers seeking leadership positions, to make continuous learning part of their professional development rather than limiting their preparation to the immediate goal of passing promotion examinations.
Book offers preparation guide for public servants
Reviewing the publication, the acting director in the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, Shaibu Sikiru, described the book as a useful resource for public servants preparing for promotion examinations while managing demanding official responsibilities.
Sikiru said the publication covered key areas from which questions were commonly drawn, including professional practice, public service rules and current affairs.
The author, Tajudeen, said his own experience while preparing for promotion examinations motivated him to write the book.
He said the publication was intended to provide public servants with a structured resource that could support their preparation and improve their understanding of issues relevant to career progression in the public service.
Leave a comment