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By David Odama
Former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, is being remembered for her far-reaching reforms that reshaped Nigeria’s civil service between 2017 and 2019.
Making the assertion while reacting to critics who rather than re-echoing the roadmap achievements made to reshape the civil service, preferred to pay her with criticism, her media associate, Ofem Uket, urged Nigerians to lean to reward hard work instead of embarking on Image damaging.
According to Uket, Oyo-Ita is credited with introducing the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP), a comprehensive reform agenda designed to modernize operations, strengthen accountability, and improve service delivery.
She also championed the “EPIC” culture, advocating for a civil service that is Efficient, Productive, Incorruptible, and Citizen-Centred, a philosophy that became a guiding principle across ministries and agencies.
He stressed that she is a strong advocate of digitalization. In his word, “She pushed for a paperless environment through the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system, improving productivity and information sharing.
“She spearheaded the digitization of records for federal employees, laying the foundation for the Human Resource module of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
“Her emphasis on capacity building saw over 1,000 civil servants trained across various sectors within three years. She also oversaw the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN), which gained new clinics, hotels, and classrooms to enhance training facilities.”
To boost morale and performance, Uket said that Oyo-Ita introduced a Reward and Recognition Policy to incentivize outstanding civil servants. She further supported the establishment of the Efficiency Unit in the Ministry of Finance, helping to block leakages and reduce wastage in government spending.
He recalled that her tenure also prioritized welfare, with the launch of the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) programme, aimed at addressing housing challenges faced by civil servants.
Analysts note that Oyo-Ita’s leadership left a lasting imprint on Nigeria’s civil service, positioning it on a path toward modernization, accountability, and improved service delivery. Her reforms continue to serve as a reference point for ongoing efforts to strengthen governance and public administration in the country.
