FCTA Hosts Strategic Leadership Workshop For Permanent Secretaries

The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has intensified its leadership and public service reform efforts with the successful hosting of a One-Day Strategic Validation Workshop on the FCT Leadership Enhancement and Development Programme (FCT-LEAD-P) for Permanent Secretaries of the FCT Administration.

Declaring the workshop open, the Head of Service of the FCTA, Mrs. Nancy Sabanti Nathan (mni), reaffirmed the Administration’s commitment to building a competent, ethical, and future-ready civil service in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

She emphasized that sustained leadership development is critical to effective policy implementation and improved service delivery to residents of the Federal Capital Territory.

Mrs. Nathan explained that the LEAD-P Programme is designed to institutionalize succession planning, talent development, and ethical leadership through a structured, competency-based framework that reflects global best practices while addressing local realities.

She urged the Permanent Secretaries to actively contribute to the validation of the programme’s syllabus, noting that their inputs would significantly shape the quality of future leaders in the FCT Civil Service.

Earlier in his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Common Services, Mr. Rotimi Ajayi, highlighted the importance of innovation in communication and rhetoric as essential tools for effective public service delivery.

He commended the Reform Coordination and Service Improvement Department (RC&SID) for initiating the workshop, describing it as timely and consistent with the ongoing reform drive of the FCTA under the leadership of the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Barr. Nyesom Wike, CON, as well as the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP 25).

Mr. Ajayi noted that beyond technical competence, public servants must be adept at communicating government policies and programmes clearly, credibly, and persuasively in order to enhance public trust, deepen stakeholder engagement, and improve citizen satisfaction.

He described the workshop as an opportunity for senior officers to retool their communication strategies and strengthen the image and effectiveness of the civil service, assuring participants of the Administration’s continued support for initiatives that promote professionalism, innovation, and excellence in the public service.

In her technical presentation, the Acting Director of the Reform Coordination and Service Improvement Department (RC&SID), Dr. Jumai Ahmadu, disclosed that the FCTA has recorded significant progress in the implementation of the FCT-LEAD-P, describing it as a flagship initiative aimed at strengthening leadership capacity and service delivery across the FCT Civil Service.

Dr. Ahmadu explained that since its inception in early 2025, the programme has achieved notable milestones focused on building a competent, ethical, and forward-looking public service aligned with both global best practices and local needs.

She highlighted key achievements, including the development of a competency-based leadership framework tailored to the FCT Civil Service, as well as the drafting of a comprehensive curriculum covering leadership theory, practical skills, ethics, innovation, and public sector reforms in collaboration with subject-matter experts.

According to her, the programme has also implemented a transparent and merit-based candidate selection process involving a Computer-Based Test (CBT) and oral interviews, which led to the identification of high-potential officers for the pilot cohort.

She added that stakeholder engagement sessions with Directors and technical teams have been conducted to foster institutional ownership, while preparatory arrangements, such as training modules, facilitators, and partnerships with local and international institutions, are currently being finalized.

Dr. Ahmadu further stated that the Strategic Validation Workshop for Permanent Secretaries was organized to consolidate these achievements by reviewing and endorsing the LEAD-P syllabus and ensuring alignment with the FCTA’s broader reform and service delivery agenda.

The workshop featured strategic discussions focused on validating the LEAD-P curriculum, strengthening leadership capacity, and enhancing communication for improved service delivery across all Secretariats, Departments, and Agencies of the FCTA.

Remi Johnson, Edited By Grace Namiji