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Acting
President Yemi Osinbajo shakes hands with Winifred Oyo-Ita, Head of Civil
Service of the Federation
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Acting President Yemi
Osinbajo says the greatest tragedy a nation can experience is a corrupt civil
service because the “power to do good or evil” lies there.
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Osinbajo,
Aig Imoukhuede, top banker and entrepreneur; Ahmed Salim, former Head of Civil
Service of the Federation; Winifred Oyo-Ita; Head of Civil Service, and some
dignitaries at the function.
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Speaking
on Tuesday during an inaugural civil service lecture at the presidential villa
in Abuja, Osinbajo said civil servants represented the most important factor
for mass development.
Lighting
up the mood of those in attendance, Osinbajo said though civil servants were
referred to as “evil servants”, they must “take heart”.
He
also urged civil servants to eschew seeking personal gains in the discharge of
their duties.
“It
was the judiciary that told the military then that while it may make laws,
those laws should still respect the inalienable rights of the people as
enshrined in international human right conventions to which the country had
voluntarily acceded,” he said.
“These
were individuals without guns, just sitting down on platforms up there in the
court, who insisted on holding the military responsible.
“Despite
the criticisms that civil servants are subjected to, I am sure that you know
that sometimes civil servants are described as ‘evil servants’ but you must
take heart, the best profession are usually the most criticized, but I must say
that the wholesome privilege of public service is very easily abused or taken
for granted. The public service elite represents as we have seen the most
important factor in mass development.
“The
power to do great good or evil lies with a few people who form what we refer to
as our civil service, when some in such an elite see the opportunity as one for
self enrichment by corrupt practices then the nation faces a monumental
tragedy.
“There is no excuse anywhere in a nation where the majority are still poor and are struggling to make a living that anyone who has the benefit of good education and good fortune of a job in the civil service should subvert that service for personal gains, I think it’s the greatest tragedy that a nation can experience.”
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