The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHSCF) has approved the implementation of the Federal Public Service Entrepreneurship Programme (FPSEP), as part of measures to improve the welfare of federal public servants in the country. According to the Permanent Secretary, Social Welfare Office, OHSCF, Dr. Ngozi Onwudiwe, the programme comprises agricultural start-up scheme for serving officers and pre-retirement training/business start-up scheme for prospective retirees, which is aimed at providing opportunities for serving public servants to enjoy multiple streams of income through agriculture and its value chain while preparing prospective retirees for life after service. It would also give public servants an opportunity to support government’s agenda of attainment of economic growth through diversification of the economy.
“Consequently, it is mandatory for all prospective retirees to participate in the pre-retirement training/business start-up scheme, at least, three years before their retirements while the agriprenuership scheme would be open to interested serving officers. It is pertinent to note that the cost implication of the training is to be borne by the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and it is, therefore, advisable to include the public service entrepreneurship programme in the annual training plan”, Dr. Onwudiwe added. For seamless take-off of the programme, all MDAs are to sensitise their staff, profile and compile the list of officers due to retire in 2022 for training and other interested officers for the scheme while details on the training programme can be found on the website, www.ohcsf.gov.ng, the permanent secretary stated further.
