News Investigators/ The Auditor-General for the Federation, Shaakaa Chira, has urged civil servants to cultivate the habit of documenting their knowledge and professional experiences to strengthen public service delivery.
Mr Chira made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the presentation of a book titled ‘The Next Level’, authored by the Director of Audit, Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, Tajudeen Adesoye.
He urged other directors in the office to emulate Mr Adesoye, saying the book was a valuable resource for civil servants preparing for promotional examinations.
He said the book would serve a purpose beyond examination preparation, as it could also be used as a reference guide in carrying out official duties, including report writing.
Mr Chira, who said he had personally gone through the book and was familiar with its contents, urged staff members to obtain copies for themselves and their children.
According to him, the book covered areas such as the Public Service Rules (PSR) and general knowledge.
“The book will be beneficial to civil servants seeking to broaden their knowledge and improve their professional capacity,” he said.
The Chairman and Chief Launcher of the book, Agan Shangevzua, a Commissioner with the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), commended the auditor-general for supporting the author and encouraging staff development.
According to him, the Auditor-General’s emphasis on staff development had contributed to workers’ progress and a peaceful atmosphere within the organisation.
He said a conducive working environment enabled public servants to contribute meaningfully to intellectual and public discourse.
Also speaking, the book reviewer and Acting Director, Consolidated Accounts Department (CAD), Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF), Shaibu Sikiru, said the book was designed to assist civil servants preparing for professional and promotional examinations.
Mr Sikiru said the book covered areas including Performance Audit, Public Service Rules, Nigeria’s Foreign Service Regulations, public procurement and taxation.
He said the professional examination section contained questions covering various subject areas, including 120 questions on PSR, 50 on Performance Audit and 50 on Nigeria’s new tax law.
Mr Sikiru also spoke on developments in public procurement administration, noting its evolution from the era associated with “due process” to the establishment and operation of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) under the Public Procurement Act.
He said the development had heightened accountability for accountants and other public officers involved in procurement processes.
Mr Sikiru observed that the growing use of Computer-Based Testing (CBT) meant that candidates needed broad and comprehensive knowledge rather than relying solely on narrow examination preparation.
He urged civil servants to make appropriate use of artificial intelligence and relevant reference books when confronted with difficult questions.
In his remarks, Mr Adesoye, commended the auditor-general for his support and leadership.
The author explained that the inspiration for the book came from his experience preparing for promotion examinations after joining the public service from the banking sector.
“I recall that after moving from the banking sector into public service, I sought to understand the ‘bible’ and core reference materials for the professional examinations.
“I studied relevant materials, including financial regulations, Public Service Rules and constitutional provisions, from beginning to end,” he said.
Mr Adesoye said the experience helped him prepare for earlier examinations, but the pressure became more intense when he reached the level of Deputy Director, leaving little time for extensive reading.
“After successfully passing the examination, I began to consider how subsequent candidates could benefit from concise reference material that will help them revise when they had only a few weeks before an examination.
“That was where the inspiration came from,” he said.
He said the book was inspired by the aspiration shared by civil servants at different stages of their careers to progress to higher positions, including that of Permanent Secretary.
Mr Adesoye said the manuscript had been in existence since 2018, but its publication was delayed by time constraints and other commitments.
According to him, some of his staff reminded him of the need to leave a contribution that will benefit others before his retirement.
Mr Adesoye expressed appreciation to the staff for their encouragement and to well-wishers who contributed to the production and presentation of the book.
NAN