President Bola Tinubu has implored public servants to live up to expectations by upholding public trust, which requires them all to be accountable to the citizens.

Represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, Mr Tinubu made the call on Saturday at the Nigeria Excellence Awards in Public Service (NEAPS) held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He restated his administration’s determination to create an environment where merit was rewarded, and every public servant felt valued and motivated to give their best.

Mr Tinubu urged them always to be guided by the fact that the nation’s public institutions were not personal enterprises and that, as public servants, they were employees of the Nigerian people.

He said the event was not just about the awards ceremony but about embedding a culture of recognition and reward in the country’s public service ethos.

Mr Tinubu noted that some loopholes were still being exploited by those saddled with the nation’s trust despite the institutional measures to prevent any form of irregularities in the public service.

“More than ever, our public service must live up to its expectation as a public trust where every official must account to the people, and ours is to create an ecosystem where they not only stand out but stand apart from those who sabotage us.

“Even though we have set in place institutional measures to forestall any form of dysfunction in our public service, there are still cracks often exploited by those given the trust of the nation.

“But what we must never get tired of doing is reminding ourselves that our public institutions are not personal enterprises, and for that, each of us is an employee of the Nigerian citizen,” he said.

While underlining the significance of the Nigeria Excellence Awards in Public Service (NEAPS), a private sector initiative in partnership with the office of the Secretary to Government of the Federation, President Tinubu gave the initiative his full support.

The president said it was strategic to inspire the bulk of the nation’s workforce, “set benchmarks, and create a ripple effect of positive change throughout our society.”

According to Mr Tinubu, reward and recognition are the markers of every thriving institution and nation. 

He noted that the essence of any successful entity, whether a private enterprise or public institution, was its ability to honour those who work to uphold its values and drive its progress.

“Our labour force remains the ultimate reflection of our principles, as practised by men and women who rise every day with a commitment to building a better future for all citizens. We, therefore, owe these silent architects of our national progress more than just a debt of gratitude,” Mr Tinubu explained.

The president, who showered praises on Nigerian public servants, maintained that their place must be remembered to motivate them to inspire others.

Mr Tinubu said NEAPS also played a crucial role in introducing more role models to a nation in search of mentors and telling the awardees his administration could see “the excellence with which they have served the nation.”

(NAN)