We’ll continue to provide quality services, BPE DG assures
Benjamin Orisemeke
The Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Ayodeji A. Gbeleyi has assured that it would continue to deliver quality service to all stakeholders for better results and greater impact.
Gbeleyi, who gave the assurance at the BPE Servicom day symposium which was held Tuesday in Abuja, also said, in order to deliver value to the public, employees must be willing to embrace the right work ethics.
He said, “As we gather today, we will reflect on the various ways to foster and navigate the right ethics that can reshape our work culture, ensuring we derive value from our efforts and expertise. The impact of these ethics can be far-reaching, influencing employee behaviour, organisational culture and overall service excellence.”
Speaking on the theme of the theme for the 2024 SERVICOM Customer Service Week titled “Above and Beyond”, the BPE Director General noted that attitudinal and behavioural ethics in the workplace play a pivotal role in shaping organizational culture, driving employee engagement, and fostering trust among stakeholders.
According to him, these ethics help to create a positive and productive work environment.
“This theme highlights the importance of frontline service providers, emphasizes team spirit within the workforce, and underscores its positive impact on the Bureau. More importantly, it raises awareness of the value of excellent customer service in our operations.
“The Bureau is committed to delivering on its mandate, and we pledge to uphold our core values (Integrity-Transparency, Professionalism, Accountability, Result-Orientation and Teamwork (I-PART), which are aligned with the goals of SERVICOM,” he added.
In her presentation, the National Coordinator/ CEO Servicom Mrs. Nnenna Akajemeli urged staff of the Bureau to render quality service to Nigerians noting that it is the only way they can be beneficiaries of government services.
While stressing that staff attitude plays a crucial role in shaping the workplace environment and overall organizational success, the Servicom DG said staff of the bureau to approach their roles with enthusiasm and a willingness to help adding that it not only boosts morale but also increases productivity and creativity.
“A positive attitude among employees fosters collaboration, enhances communication, and promotes a culture of respect and support for staff, and stakeholders.
…let us note that ethical behavior shapes not only the reputation of an organization but also its internal culture, employee morale, and overall effectiveness. These play pivotal roles in influencing workplace dynamics and outcomes,” she added.
Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Dr. Musa Adamu Aliyu, SAN said that public servants need to change their attitude to work if they are to deliver quality services.
According to the ICPC Chairman, “excellent service delivery does not just happen – it has to be worked on and worked out, if not, service failure will occur. Service failure can be caused by a number of factors including bad attitude to work, negative work ethics including corruption.”
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Agritech startups win venture building spots in Hackathon
David Agba
Abuja
FarmSlate, a startup connecting smallholder farmers with financiers, has won the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Agritech Hackathon 2024. Its winning solution uses artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and geospatial analytics to achieve this. The startup received N3.5 million and will now participate in a venture-building programme.
The Agritech Hackathon, powered by Heave Ventures and supported by the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank (FMO), set the stage for solutions addressing credit access, infrastructure, and food security challenges. AgroGuardians, which designed a tool to help farmers identify crop diseases with actionable recommendations in both English and local languages, won the second-place prize of N2 million. CarbonEx, focused on connecting regenerative farming projects with carbon reduction funding from global firms, took home N1.5 million as a third-place winner.
Seven additional startups – Agrocist, Seedo, Dinerpro Agroecosystems, Growsmart, Coconoto, Kaloka, and PAYGO Microinsurance – will join the top three in a venture-building phase to advance these agritech solutions.
“We are committed to supporting agribusiness funding and capacity building through various programmes, including digitization and agritech,” said Kudzai Gumunyu, Divisional Head of Agribusiness at First City Monument Bank (FCMB). He called on new-generation techies in the agritech space to join FCMB in its efforts to boost agricultural productivity and food security, ultimately transforming rural areas into thriving economic centers.
The Bank’s interventions have resulted in better access to finance, research, and manpower development for individuals, smallholder farmers and companies in the agricultural sector, with a multiplier effect on the economy.
Ifeoluwa Olatayo of FarmSlate expressed gratitude to FCMB, FMO, and Heave Ventures, saying, “The FCMB Hackathon was a unique experience. The insightful sessions helped us communicate our problem-solution statement effectively, and the well-managed process allowed us to participate remotely, which was a valuable opportunity. We are glad our innovation won the hackathon, validating our solution and preparing us for launch and scale through the venture-building phase.”
The venture-building phase will provide the winners with expert-led coaching and training on customer discovery, Minimal Viable Product (MVP) design, Go-To-Market (GTM) strategies, and fundraising. It will culminate in a Demo Day, where the participants will pitch to judges for a chance to win a share of N16 million. Investors, partners, media, and other stakeholders in the tech ecosystem will be in attendance.
“Our primary motivation as technical partners was to deliver value to underserved communities in Africa – those who may never get to say thank you. We believe this work has a far-reaching impact and can unlock value for millions across the continent,” said Abiodun Lawal, Partner at Heave Ventures.
