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Yemi-Esan made the remarks on Thursday in Abuja, at a Town Hall meeting organised by the Joint Union Negotiating Council (JUNC) to bid her farewell from the service.
“I want to thank former President Muhammadu Buhari and President Bola Tinubu who made my work easier,” she said.
Yemi-Esan expressed gratitude to God for the opportunity she had to serve as the overall head of the nation’s civil service.
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“I thank God for the opportunity to serve my country. I never dreamt of becoming the Head of Service of the Federation, but God made it possible."
She equally appreciated Permanent Secretaries in the service who supported her in achieving transformative programmes she implemented.
“They are dedicated, and hardworking and give me the needed support to succeed,” she said.
Yemi-Esan described the send-forth programme as ‘unprecedented’, adding that she had never witnessed such honour done by the union officials to others who had retired from the service before her.
While appreciating the entire members of staff, the HOS advised them not to relent in their efforts in the discharge of duties to their fatherland.
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“I know how difficult it is to come to work today in Nigeria with a lot of challenges faced by the civil servants ranging from house rent, school fees, feeding, and how to come to work among others.
“However, I don’t want the standard that we have already attained to drop in spite of all these challenges,” she advised.
She also advised the incoming HOCSF, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, who was also present at the event, to make her line of communication with the union and members of staff open for a harmonious working relationship.
In his comments, Mr Sylvester Abah, President of JUNC, expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for Yemi-Esan’s appointment as the HOCSF, saying that her appointment was the best decision that came at the right time.
According to Abah, Yemi-Esan made remarkable changes in the service through the adoption of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP25) and other rewards initiative programmes she introduced in the system.
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“Her appointment was the best decision the Federal Government had made. Her coming into the system had made a lot of remarkable improvement,” he said.
In her remarks, Didi Walson-Jack, who described the day as special, commended Yemi-Esan for laying a good foundation that would make her duty easier.
She said Yemi-Esan applied the core values espoused by the FCSSIP25 which comprised Accountability, Meritocracy, Professionalism, Loyalty and Efficiency (AMPLE) which were critical enablers for the sustenance of the reforms in the service.
According to her, Yemi-Esan was loyal to the two Presidents she had worked with and she had also applied the true tenet of the civil service for effective service delivery.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the high points of the event, the presentation of the award to Yemi-Esan by the union members, the presentation of two Coaster buses to the union members by the office of the HOCSF and the presentation of cars to six Directors in the office of the HOCSF.
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Farewell messages were also presented by Permanent Secretaries from different MDAs in honour of Yemi-Esan.
