•Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State

MADUABUCHI NMERIBEH/Kano

The Governor of Kano state, northwest Nigeria, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on Thursday said his administration will ensure full implementation and observance of Service Compact Policies, saying SERVICOM’s vision and mission is in line with the state government’s determination to reforming the public service for improved service delivery. Governor Ganduje spoke during the official launching of the SERVICOM concept in the state, noting that with the flag-off of SERVICOM in Kano, the state government’s desire to re-orient the civil service in order to curb corruption, block leakages, lateness to work and break bureaucratic bottlenecks militating against smooth service delivery will be achieved. Established by the Olusegun Obasanjo government in 2004, SERVICOM was designed to monitor the service delivery of the MDAs, in conformity to the citizens’ expectations, and it stands as a facilitator of the social accountability framework of public service delivery in Nigeria.

Ganduje further expressed hope that SERVICOM, coming up with a policy and planning tool for service improvement, “will be a standard pace-setter, monitor and evaluator of MDA’s compliance of their service charter and service compact, including complaints handling and reporting outcomes as appropriate.” He said SERVICOM is expected to be an enforcer of change management principles and reforms of his administration at all levels.

Ganduje who also promised that his administration will ensure the creation of a SERVICOM unit in his office said the directorate in the state will ensure effective resolution of complaints by facilitating continuous engagement of aggrieved customers with MDAs.

He also expressed optimism that SERVICOM will shoulder the responsibility of making regular checks on late comers in all Government Agencies and submit the report to the Office of the Head of Service for appropriate sanctions as well as communicating service entitlements and rights.

Just as he appreciated the development of Service Charters to some Ministries, Agencies and three Local Government Areas in the state, Ganduje said sustained efforts are being made to develop the Service Charters to all Ministries, Agencies and across the 44 Local Government Areas in the state.

Speaking at the occasion, the Chief SERVICOM Officer, Mrs. Nnenna Akajemeli said that service delivery cannot be treated in isolation from other socio-economic reforms that are on-going in the state, saying SERVICOM is key to good governance and central to changing the lives of the people for the better.

“The ultimate success in satisfying public demands depends solely on the interest, passion and commitment of the leader as well as the competence, experience and managerial skills of officials at all levels of the service delivery chain,” she added.

According to her, the SERVICOM index is based on five customer-satisfaction drivers which include service delivery that will ensure set standards, timelessness, effective information, professionalism and staff attitudinal change to keep track with global best practices.

The state Head of Service, Muhammad Awwal Na’iya in his speech during the occasion said the state Government was able to record some improvement in the implementation of SERVICOM which made the government to streamline MDAs through reduction of Ministries from 19 to 14, sustain payment of salaries and allowances, establishment of salary and wages directorate for effective and efficient salary administration in the public service as well as addressing the issue of ghost workers.

He added that recently, the state civil service recorded the promotion of over 1000 officials across all MDAs in the civil service and changes of cadre covering over 800 staff across MDAs and urged the civil servants in the state to cooperate and support the policies of the present administration.