REWARDS AND RECOGNITION SYSTEM (R&RS) IN THE FEDERAL CIVIL SERVICE

The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is set to institutionalize a robust Rewards and Recognition System (R&RS) in the Federal Civil Service to boost performance. This is in recognition of the fact that as the custodian of the Federal Government bureaucracy, the Federal Civil Service remains a key factor with influence and impact on all dimensions of government including performance improvement and delivery of services needed to achieve national development goals and good governance.

When implemented, the R&RS is expected to play a fundamental role in accelerating the implementation of the 2017-2020 Strategic and Implementation Plan of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) by linking incentives and rewards to better performance. The SWO also believes that the focus of the Strategic Plan in developing an Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible and Citizen-centered (EPIC) culture in
the Civil Service cannot be achieved without motivation, which will engender both collaboration and co-operation from Civil Servants and birth strategic outcomes such as a well-motivated, disciplined, skilled and accountable Civil Service. The idea behind the establishment of the R&RS is to provide a comprehensive and robust rewards system that will improve productivity as well as attract, nurture, develop and retain the best employees in the Civil Service, thereby boosting overall institutional performance.

Key among the objectives of the Rewards and Recognition System are to:

• institutionalise the implementation of the relevant PublicService Rules on Awards and Recognition (PSR 150101 –150107);
• serve as motivational tool in order to bring out the best from the workforce in all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs); and
• enhance Staff personal development for career progression and embed a performance driven reward system that serves as enabler for all other strands of effective people management in an integrated fashion.

The Scope of the R&RS covers three (3) major Categories of Awards and Recognition: A breakdown is as follows

A. Service-wide Awards & Recognition Scheme

1. Presidential Distinguished Public Service Career Award
2. Presidential Civil Service Merit Award
3. Head of the Civil Service of the Federation EPIC Award
4. The Public Service Excellence Award
   1. Citizen-Centred Delivery Award.
   2. Leadership and Team Spirit Award.
   3. Efficiency and Effectiveness Award.
   4. Innovation and Improvement Award.
5. Sports Achievement Award
6. Recognition of Retired Permanent Secretaries.

B. MDAs Awards & Recognition Scheme

1. Honourable Minister Unique Act Award.
2. Bravery Awards
   1. Awards for Safety of Human Life and Property in a perilous Circumstance – PSR 150106
   2. Emergency Services Award of Valour (ESAV)
   3. Star of Courage (SC)
   4. Bravery Medal (BM)
   5. Commendation for Brave Conduct
   6. Group Bravery Citation
3. Permanent Secretary Exemplary Conduct Award.
4.  Long Service Merit Award.
5. Recognition of Retired Civil Servants.

C. Departmental Awards & Recognition Scheme

1. Ethics & Professionalism Award
2. Mentorship Award

Each of the Categories of Awards and Recognition have specific criteria for qualification, a well composed Award Selection Committee with Terms of Reference, Selection Guidelines and Weightings, and the suggested rewards, most of which are in kind, including the source of funding. Most of the Rewards are expected to be sponsored by Corporate Bodies, National and International organizations, and Donor Agencies and Partners.

In order to ensure transparency and fairness in the Selection process, and in line with the provision of the PSR 150104, Service-Wide, Ministeral, and Departmental Awards Selection Committees are to be constituted and expected to be guided by its Terms of Reference.

The climax of the R&RS will be a Civil Service Awards Ceremony, which will be held annually to recognize and celebrate the various Service-Wide Awardees in the Scheme. The Ceremony will be organized in collaboration with relevant Government Stakeholders and will be open to Private Sector and Donor Agencies’ sponsorship. For uniformity and standards, the Certificates and Plaques at Service-wide and Ministerial, except the Departmental, would be produced by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

Information regarding the R&RS, including names of the various Awardees will be published in the Service Welfare Newsletter. The Newsletter will be self-sustaining and would provide an avenue for revenue generation for the Scheme through Private Sector and Donor Agencies Sponsorships and advertisements. It will also serve as a vehicle to promote the Strategic Plan of the OHCSF and publicise topical issues related to Civil Servants’ Benefit
Packages, Government Policy directives on Welfare matters, among others.

A Stakeholders Engagement Forum to deliberate on the policy proposal, secure inputs and concurrence from relevant stakeholders for the Rewards and Recognition System was successfully held on Thursday, 16th May, 2019. A Validation Session is billed for Thursday, 23rd May, 2019. MDAs are be represented by their Directors of Human Resource Management (HRM) at both events, taking place in Rotunda Hall, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja.