FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE AWARDS: HCSF TASKS WINNERS TO MENTOR JUNIOR OFFICERS, SUSTAIN EXCELLENCE<\/p>\n
_Dr Claris Ujam Wins Presidential Career Award, Brand New Car as Overall Winner_<\/p>\n
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Esther Walson-Jack has charged recipients of the 2026 Federal Civil Service Rewards and Recognition Awards to serve as “ambassadors of excellence” by mentoring younger officers and upholding the standards that earned them the honour.<\/p>\n
She gave the charge at the Awards Ceremony held at the State House, Abuja on Saturday, 15th August 2026<\/p>\n
“To our award recipients, I congratulate you most sincerely. You are now ambassadors of excellence within the Federal Civil Service. This recognition is both an honour and a responsibility. Continue to lead by example, mentor younger officers and sustain the standards that earned you this distinction. Please remember that after today\u2019s applause, photographs and celebrations, we will still expect you at work!” she stated.<\/p>\n
Mrs Walson-Jack noted that the ceremony was deliberately moved out of the Civil Service Week to give outstanding officers “their own moment, their own stage and enough time for us to applaud them properly,”_ the HCSF said. _”Excellence should not be hurried or treated as another item on a crowded programme.”_<\/p>\n
She added that the award scheme was designed “to reinforce a culture in which exceptional performance was identified, celebrated and rewarded.”<\/p>\n
The HCSF expressed concern that the 2026 programme recorded the lowest number of recipients since the Rewards and Recognition System began in 2023 and attributed it to non-compliance by some Ministries, Departments and Agencies.<\/p>\n
“I urge all Permanent Secretaries to provide leadership to ensure no deserving officer is left behind. The System only works when we all play our part,” she emphasized.<\/p>\n
Mrs Walson-Jack commended the Federal Ministries of Youth Development; Industry, Trade and Investment; Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs; Regional Development; and the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation for consistently implementing the Monthly Awards.<\/p>\n
Representing the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, the Permanent Secretary, Special Services Office, Aminu Yargaya, said the civil service remained the machinery for translating government policies into tangible projects.<\/p>\n
According to him, the Tinubu administration had elevated rewards and recognition from “an occasional practice to an institutionalised system”.<\/p>\n
He listed FEC-approved policies including the Rewards and Recognition Policy, Incentive and Consequence Management Policy, and Civil Service Mentoring Policy, and stressed that “performance must increasingly be judged by clear objectives, measurable outcomes, accountability and the value delivered to citizens. Evidence, results and merit should form the basis for recognition.”<\/p>\n
The Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof Tunji Olaopa, called for merit-based recruitment and greater deployment of digital infrastructure to improve efficiency and productivity in the civil service.<\/p>\n
He added that reward plays a critical role in driving high engagement and productivity, while sanctions \u2014 ranging from warnings to pay cuts \u2014 are necessary to deter wrongdoing and uphold discipline in the service.<\/p>\n
The high point of the ceremony was the presentation of the Presidential Distinguished Civil Service Career Award to Dr Claris Ujam, Deputy Director, Federal Ministry of Education, who also received the key to a brand-new car sponsored by Leadway Assurance Limited as the overall winner.<\/p>\n
Dr Ujam, a public and education administrator with over 30 years of service, was recognised for her contributions to public administration, education planning, policy strategy, and human and material resources development. She was also recognised for securing education grants and ICT equipment worth over $4 million from the Government of Japan following her strategic engagements at the UNESCO-International Institute of Capacity Building in Africa conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in January 2025.<\/p>\n
Other awardees included:<\/p>\n
*\u00a0 Presidential Civil Service Merit Award – Abumoye Ayo Emmanuel<\/p>\n
* Civil Service Excellence Award – Youth Help Desk, Federal Ministry of Youth Development, recognised for handling over 5,000 citizen requests and resolving 4,100 cases since 2024 in line with SERVICOM standards<\/p>\n
* HOS EPIC Award – Anthony Okechukwu Ogwo and Peter Ochoche Emmanuel<\/p>\n
* Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Award- Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment<\/p>\n
Sports Achievement Award- Aseyaiseimor Pente Kelvin<\/p>\n
The ceremony was hosted by the Permanent Secretary, State House, Mr Temitope Fashedemi.<\/p>\n
Mrs Walson-Jack expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his support for Civil Service transformation. She also acknowledged the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation for providing cash rewards under the HOS EPIC Award, Leadway Assurance Limited for the Car gift, and the Nigerian Communications Commission for supporting the event.<\/p>\n
In her closing remarks, the HCSF called on all Civil Servants to renew their commitment to serving Nigeria with integrity, professionalism, innovation and excellence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE AWARDS: HCSF TASKS WINNERS TO MENTOR JUNIOR OFFICERS, SUSTAIN EXCELLENCE _Dr Claris Ujam Wins Presidential Career Award, Brand New Car as Overall Winner_ The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Esther Walson-Jack has charged recipients of the 2026 Federal Civil Service Rewards and Recognition Awards to serve as “ambassadors […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":151915,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[3354,3352,1490,3353],"class_list":["post-151912","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-others","tag-dr-claris-ujam","tag-federal-civil-service-awards-and-recognition","tag-hcsf","tag-prof-tunji-olaopa"],"yoast_head":"\n