By Stella Odueme
The Federal Ministry of Works has charged its staff to prioritise professionalism, courtesy, responsiveness and timely service delivery in their dealings with members of the public.
The Minister of Works, Sen. (Engr.) David Umahi, represented by the Director Overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary (DOOPS), Mohammed Aminu Ahmed, gave the charge during a sensitisation session organised by the Department of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement (RC&SI) to mark the 2026 Customer Service Week.
The event was held under the theme, “Going the Extra Mile in Satisfying Customers", a statement by the Director, Information and Public Relations, Mohammed A. Ahmed, said.
Umahi said effective customer service was an integral part of quality service delivery, stressing that providing good road infrastructure without corresponding quality service to the public would amount to incomplete service delivery.
He urged staff to serve Nigerians and other stakeholders with speed, courtesy, empathy and professionalism.
According to him, “Nigerians judge this administration not only by the roads we build, but also by how we serve them.”
The minister explained that the Ministerial Service Delivery Committee, comprising representatives of various departments and stakeholders, plays an important role in strengthening service delivery and providing management with information on challenges affecting effective and timely service.
He, however, expressed concern over lateness, poor treatment of members of the public and lack of commitment to official responsibilities by some staff.
Umahi described such attitudes as unacceptable, noting that the Ministry of Works was a service-oriented organisation whose performance could significantly influence public perception of the Federal Government.
He disclosed that he had directed the Department of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement to intensify sensitisation across all cadres to promote positive behavioural change and improve service delivery.
Earlier, the Director of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement, Sharifat Joke Raji, said the Customer Service Week provided an opportunity for the ministry to assess its service delivery practices and renew its commitment to meeting the expectations of Nigerians, contractors and other stakeholders.
Raji stressed that going the extra mile for customers required staff to be responsive, prompt, courteous, empathetic and professional.
She said customer service should not be seen as the responsibility of frontline officers alone but as a collective responsibility of all staff.
Also speaking, the Director of Human Resource Management, Ahmad Muhammad Tukur, said members of the public assessed the ministry not only by the quality of roads and infrastructure it delivered but also by how they were treated when interacting with its personnel.
Tukur urged staff to observe official working hours, demonstrate discipline and maintain professional standards.
He expressed concern over lateness and failure by some workers to observe official schedules, calling on management and senior officers to lead by example.
The director said staff who demonstrated exceptional commitment to service delivery would be recognised and rewarded, while those who failed to improve their attitude to work would face appropriate sanctions in line with extant rules and regulations.
The Department of Reform Coordination and Service Improvement was also directed to monitor service delivery at various service points across the ministry and submit regular reports to management.
It was further directed to ensure adherence to official schedules and effective monitoring of daily activities across the ministry's offices.
The ministry urged its staff to use the Customer Service Week to renew their commitment to their duties and ensure that Nigerians and other stakeholders receive efficient, timely, courteous and professional services.