By Stella Odueme
The Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (FMBEP) has celebrated the 2026 Customer Service Week, recognising two staff members for their dedication to duty, professionalism and outstanding performance.
The event, held on Friday at the Ministry’s premises, saw Mrs. Olufunmilayo Adewinle of the Human Resource Management Department and Mr. Dauda Samson of the Information and Communications Technology Department emerge as the Ministry’s best-performing staff.
According to a statement by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Mrs. Julie Osagie-Jacobs, they were recognised for their courtesy, commitment to duty and professionalism in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Speaking at the occasion, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Deborah Odoh, urged staff to renew their commitment to a customer-centred culture by improving service processes, reducing unnecessary delays, embracing innovation and technology, strengthening accountability and ensuring compliance with established service standards.
Odoh, who was represented by the Director of International Cooperation, Dr. Sampson Ebimaro, encouraged staff to uphold integrity, courtesy, empathy, teamwork, discipline, responsiveness and continuous improvement in service delivery.
In her presentation titled “The Extra Mile” Master Class, Mrs. Lucy Zach-Ukoh of the SERVICOM Office in the Presidency urged staff to embrace their collective responsibility for delivering the Ministry’s mandate effectively.
She called on them to demonstrate empathy and patience when attending to vulnerable customers and to take ownership of issues until they are fully resolved.
Zach-Ukoh also encouraged staff to improve service delivery processes through innovation and personal initiative while maintaining professionalism, even under pressure and during peak service hours.
According to her, the theme, “The Extra Mile,” was chosen to elevate service delivery across Nigeria, as it reflects the need for a modern public service that is proactive, innovative and consistently committed to exceeding customer expectations.
She added that the occasion provided Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) with an opportunity to reaffirm their commitment to service excellence by celebrating outstanding staff, engaging customers and strengthening collaboration.
Also speaking, the Deputy Director of the Reform Coordination and Service Improvement Department, Mrs. Elizabeth Akpan, said the theme reminded staff that excellent customer service goes beyond performing assigned duties.
She explained that it required taking initiative, exceeding expectations and making deliberate efforts to ensure that members of the public had positive experiences when accessing government services.
The Ministry reaffirmed the importance of continuous improvement and professionalism in strengthening public confidence and ensuring effective service delivery.