A powerful call for measurable outcomes and unwavering accountability echoed through the halls of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) on Tuesday, as the institution challenged the heads of federal agencies to move beyond rhetoric and deliver tangible results.
Forty chief executives from across the nation’s parastatals and agencies gathered at the ASCON campus in Topo, Badagry, Lagos State for an intensive executive learning program. The mandatory training, part of the 14th Cohort of the Mandatory Training Programme (MTP), is designed to sharpen leadership skills, boost institutional performance, and foster a governance culture that prioritizes results.
ASCON Director-General, Mrs. Funke Femi Adepoju, set the tone, describing the program as a strategic platform to equip public sector leaders with the tools needed to translate government policies into concrete achievements. She emphasized that the training, backed by presidential approval, is compulsory for chief executives before they fully assume their duties.
“The programme places strong emphasis on results-based management, accountable leadership, collaboration and institutional discipline, which are critical to delivering government priorities and improving service delivery,” Adepoju stated. She noted a significant jump in participation, from 14 chief executives in the previous cohort to 40 in the current one, calling it proof of a growing commitment to leadership excellence.
Representing the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Permanent Secretary Mrs. Nkiruka Jones-Nebo delivered a blunt challenge to the agency heads. She urged them to focus on execution rather than mere planning, stressing that leadership should be measured by outcomes, not activities. “Move from intention to execution. We cannot mistake movement for progress,” she warned.
Jones-Nebo also highlighted the power of values-based leadership. “Leadership is contagious. If you show discipline, your personnel will show discipline. If you show empathy, your personnel will show empathy. If you show integrity, your personnel will show integrity,” she said, calling for stronger collaboration among agencies and a renewed commitment to citizen-focused governance.
The message resonated with participants. The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Mr. Akutah Pius Ukeyima, said the opening session offered valuable insight into the expectations placed on chief executives. The Managing Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Prof. Ize-Iyanmu Idia, praised ASCON as a conducive environment for strategic thinking and leadership growth.
