AGF welcomes performance evaluation of Ministry of Justice

By Kunle Sanni

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, has affirmed the Federal Ministry of Justice’s openness to performance evaluation.

This statement was made following an official visit on Thursday by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Folasade Yemi-Esan, the incoming Head of Civil Service, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, and other Permanent Secretaries to the Ministry.

Expressing his delight at the visit, Fagbemi emphasized the importance of firsthand observation and welcomed the scrutiny of the Ministry’s operations.

“I am delighted to have the Head of Civil Service here; it has always been my belief that actions speak louder than words. Seeing things firsthand is invaluable. Ma’am, what could we have done differently to match what you observed? This is our approach, transparent and grounded in reality, not mere rhetoric,” he stated.

Acknowledging Yemi-Esan’s leadership and mentorship, Fagbemi added, “Your reputation precedes you. Your visit today, focused on staff welfare, exemplifies your commitment to improving our operations.”

In her remarks, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan highlighted significant improvements observed within the ministry. “We have noted substantial progress at the Ministry of Justice. In 2023, the ministry achieved an average score of 61%, which has risen to 74% in the first quarter of 2024—an impressive improvement. While other ministries are consolidating, the Ministry of Justice is ascending. I hope to see even greater strides towards excellence.”

She emphasized the importance of robust Performance Management Systems and ethical assessments, urging supervisors to rigorously defend performance evaluations. She stressed the need to prioritize staff welfare and celebrate Civil Servants’ contributions.

The Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba, reported on FCSSIP25 Milestone Achievements and ongoing initiatives in the Ministry, such as capacity building, talent management, and the implementation of innovative Public-Private Partnership arrangements for publishing legal documents.

“The ministry has made giant strides in enhancing staff welfare, including establishing a crèche, staff canteen, gym facilities, and renovating the Olusegun Obasanjo Hall—a central hub for ministry’s activities,” she noted.

During the question and answer session, the incoming Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, visiting for the first time after her appointment, appraised the ministry for its various initiatives.

However, she noted that the Freedom of Information (FOI) units in many ministries are not situated within the legal departments, contributing to a general lack of public awareness about the FOI Act.

“I have observed that in the ministries I have worked with, the Freedom of Information unit is usually not part of the Legal Departments. This placement leads to lack of understanding about the unit’s purpose and responsibilities, and there is resistance to moving it to the legal unit,” Walson-Jack stated.

She urged the Ministry to ensure the FOI unit is housed within the Legal Department due to its legal implications.

Earlier in her welcome speech, the Director of Planning, Research, and Statistics, Mrs. Victoria Ojogbane, highlighted Dr. Yemi-Esan’s drive towards improving the Civil Service of the Federation and her emphasis on developing the service through various initiatives such as Culture Change, Change Management, Partnership, Data Analytics, Digital Skills, Conducive Work Environment, Consequent Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Effective Communication, Political Buying, Inclusive Engagement, Improved Funding, and Timely Release of Funds to Ministry’s Departments and Agencies of Government.

According to Ojogbane, “The culmination of your efforts is best exemplified by the inclusion in the Service Wide Deliverable for all MDAs as an indicator to report quarterly on Performance Management System (PMS) and Enterprises Content Management (ECM).”

She added that the robust implementation of the FCSSIP25 Pillars would ensure the fulfillment of the dream of having a digitally motivated service, with an improved Culture of Accountability, Meritocracy, Professionalism, Loyalty, and Efficiency.

The event also provided an opportunity for officials of the OHCSF to inspect some of the Ministry’s projects. Also in attendance were Directors, Special Assistants to the HAGF, SGF/PS, key officials, and union leaders of the Ministry, among others.