From Yakubu Wuyep, Jos
The Plateau State Government, in collaboration with the World Bank under the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme, has commenced orientation and induction for newly absorbed NG-CARES staff into the state civil service.
The Plateau State CARES Coordinating Unit (PL-SCCU), held at the Millennium International Conference Centre, opposite Solomon Lar Amusement Park, Jos.
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The traing aimed at integrating contract staff into the formal civil service structure while strengthening their understanding of public service rules, ethics, and performance expectations.
The State Coordinator of NG-CARES, Dr. Haggai Gutap, said the staff receiving to joint the civil service policy by the state government to retain knowledge from human capital and avoid the recurrent loss of skilled personnel after programme cycles.
He explained that previous World Bank-supported interventions often relied on contract staff who were disengaged after project completion, leading to the loss of institutional capacity.
According to him, the current approached is to ensure sustainability and continuity in governance.
“These set of people have been trained over the years, and letting them go would mean incurring losses as a state so the Governor believed in human capital development and has approved their absorption to retain their expertise,” he said.
Dr. Gutap further noted that the NG-CARES programme operate on a results-based financing model, where disbursements from the World Bank are tied strictly to performance outcomes, stressing the need for efficiency, teamwork, and adherence to operational guidelines.
He added that the state is transitioning into NG-CARES 2.0, aimed at consolidating achievements and maintaining Plateau State’s leading position in programme implementation nationwide.
Delivering the keynote address, the Chairman of the Plateau State Civil Service Commission, Prof. Paul S. Wai, described the induction as a significant milestone, noting that absorption into the civil service goes beyond employment to becoming part of a structured system guided by rules, values, and institutional traditions.
He urged the new officers to uphold professionalism, integrity, accountability, loyalty, and discipline, stressing that ignorance of civil service regulations is not an excuse for non-compliance.
“The Civil Service remains the permanent machinery of government. Your success depends on your competence, dedication, and adherence to established rules and procedures,” he said.
Prof. Wai further encouraged continuous learning, merit-based progression, and result-oriented performance, noting that government expects improved service delivery and innovation from civil servants.
He also commended the administration of Governor Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang for its commitment to building a professional, technology-driven civil service and for absorbing qualified NG-CARES personnel into the system.
In a goodwill message, the representative of the Head of Civil Service and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Rebecca Shaset, described the initiative as timely, noting that the civil service is governed strictly by rules and procedures.
She urged the newly inducted staff to demonstrate accountability, competence, dedication, and commitment to duty in order to build public confidence in government institutions.
“As civil servants, you must comply with the rules and show dedication to effectively deliver services to the public,” she said.
Also speaking, Mrs. Gladys Lircit Sodo, Deputy Director (Administration), Plateau State Ministry of Finance, who represented the Commissioner for Finance and Chairperson of the State Steering Committee on NG-CARES, encouraged participants to engage actively in the training, share experiences, and prepare for effective programme implementation.
She commended the organisers for equipping the new staff with the necessary orientation, describing NG-CARES as a critical intervention programme requiring commitment and readiness for impact-driven delivery.
The workshop, supported by the World Bank and implemented under the NG-CARES framework, is expected to strengthen institutional capacity and enhance service delivery in Plateau State’s public service system.