The Director-General of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, Mrs. Funke Femi Adepoju, has called on 40 chief executives and heads of federal agencies to focus on policy implementation and accountable leadership during the opening of the 14th cohort of the Mandatory Training Programme in Badagry, Lagos State. The programme, held Tuesday at ASCON's campus in Topo, is designed to strengthen leadership capacity and institutional performance across federal parastatals. It is conducted under presidential approval and a directive from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, requiring all chief executives to attend before fully assuming office. Adepoju stated the current cohort's theme, 'Leadership for Policy Execution: From Mandate to Measurable Results', reflects the need to close the gap between policy creation and real-world outcomes. She emphasized results-based management, collaboration, and institutional discipline as essential to improving public service delivery. Participation has risen from 14 agency heads in the previous cohort to 40 in this edition, a development Adepoju described as evidence of growing commitment to leadership excellence in the federal public service. Representing the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Nkiruka Jones-Nebo, Permanent Secretary of the Career Management Office, urged participants to shift from planning to execution, stating, "Move from intention to execution. We cannot mistake movement for progress." She stressed that leadership is contagious, adding that discipline, empathy, and integrity in leaders shape organisational culture. Jones-Nebo also advocated for inter-agency collaboration and commended Adepoju for repositioning ASCON as a key player in public sector reform. On the sidelines, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers' Council, Mr. Akutah Pius Ukeyima, said the session clarified expectations for chief executives. Prof. Ize-Iyanmu Idia, Managing Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, described ASCON as a conducive space for executive reflection and learning.
The same agency heads now being trained on accountability were allowed to assume duties before completing the mandatory course, raising questions about enforcement of the very rules meant to ensure competence. If measurable results are now the standard, past performance by those already in office remains unexamined. The training's success hinges on whether agencies implement what is taught or treat it as another ritual. Without consequences for non-compliance, the programme risks becoming performance rather than reform.
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