Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria(SCGN) has officially launched the Centre for Public Sector Governance (CPSG), a pivotal initiative aimed at addressing the pressing governance challenges in the country’s public institutions.
The official launch of the Centre for Public Sector Governance (CPSG), which was inaugurated in Abuja, seeks to foster transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the management of public resources, with a focus on strengthening governance practices across Nigeria.
Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, legal author, and governance advisor outlined the major hurdles facing public institutions, including complex policy reforms, the integration of technology, and maintaining effective governance structures.
He emphasized that the center would play a crucial role in addressing these challenges by promoting ethical practices and enhancing transparency in public sector operations.
“our public institutions face a myriad of challenges from navigating complex policy environments and reforms to balancing diverse interests, and of course to integrating even technology, risk management, and all the principles we know about governance in what happens in public institutions,” he stated.
Public governance
Ajogwu emphasized the critical role public institutions play in nation-building, particularly state-owned enterprises. He described these enterprises as key to unlocking Nigeria’s wealth, provided they are governed effectively.
“These institutions have the potential to unlock the wealth of the nation, but only if they are properly governed,” he said
He stressed that the state’s primary role is to foster development, equity, and justice by deploying resources that create a level playing field where citizens can thrive.
Ajogwu outlined the CPSG’s mission to strengthen governance structures, build capacity for improved service delivery, and enhance public accountability.
“The center will promote best practices and enhance governance within public sector institutions to restore trust and improve service delivery,” he stated
The mission focuses on:
- Building capacity for better service delivery
- Promoting public accountability and transparency
- Enhancing public finance management
- Ensuring accountability for the management of collective resources
Ajogwu highlighted that the center’s approach will be collaborative. Recognizing governance as a shared responsibility, CPSG seeks to bring together various stakeholders to achieve its goals.
The CPSG aims to foster partnerships across multiple sectors and borders to enhance public sector governance. The key stakeholders involved, which include public sector institutions and state-owned enterprises, private sector operators, civil society organizations, and international organizations.
What they said
Professor Olaokpo highlighted the importance of public spiritedness as the foundation of effective public service, emphasizing its role in transforming the public sector into a vocation rather than merely a career.
“This is an administrative virtue that demands that service to the public must be taken as a spiritual calling, to dedicate and commit oneself to the public, a body of citizens that benefit from the consensual implementation of the policies of the government. Public spiritedness is what makes the public service a vocation rather than a career, which has an instrumental connotation in that it serves the self-motivated desires of the person”
Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), affirmed the federal government’s commitment to fostering collaboration and instituting best practices in governance. He emphasized the administration’s focus on creating an enabling environment for reforms and innovation.
“We heartily welcome the CPSG. As you are aware, this is already being carried out in a number of legitimate ways, including policies, legislation, executive orders, institutional reforms, leadership selection, performance tracking, and a host of others,” he said.
