KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY THE PERMANENT SECRETARY, DR. SHUAIB M. L. BELGORE, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AT MINISTERIAL RETREAT ON PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (PMS) AND SIGNING OF 2025 DIRECTORS’ PERFORMANCE CONTRACTS AT SANDRALIA HOTEL, JABI, ABUJA ON 3RD JULY, 2025
Protocols
The Honourable Minister
The Honourable Minister of State
Directors and Heads of Departments,
Resource Persons,
Esteemed Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with great honour and a deep sense of responsibility that I welcome you all to this significant and historic Retreat on the Ministerial Performance Management System (MPMS) and the Signing of the 2025 Directors’ Performance Contracts. This retreat marks a critical step in our collective journey to institutionalize a performance driven culture within the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
As we are all aware, the Performance Management System (PMS) is a core policy initiative of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), aimed at entrenching a results-based approach to governance and public service delivery. The MPMS Retreat, therefore, offers us the opportunity to align our Ministry’s deliverables with national priorities and to operationalize the PMS as an essential tool for driving institutional efficiency and accountability.
It is important to note that this is the second Ministerial Retreat convened by the Ministry for the purpose of reviewing, deliberating, brainstorming, and validating our MPMS Plan. The maiden edition held in 2024 was instrumental in identifying and articulating the Ministry’s priorities and deliverables under the following key focus areas:
- Presidential Priorities aligned with the Renewed Hope Agenda of the current administration;
- Operational Priorities in accordance with the National Development Plan (NDP) 2021–2025 and other relevant national policy frameworks; and
- Service-Wide Priorities guided by the directives and policy thrust of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
Following the 2024 retreat, the Ministry directed all Directors and Heads of Departments to cascade and sign their Performance Contracts by 4th July, 2024. I am pleased to report that this directive was diligently executed through your commendable commitment and collaborative efforts.
To further support the implementation process and ensure robust performance appraisal mechanisms, the Ministry engaged the services of resource persons from the Federal Ministry of Regional Development to guide the development and finalization of performance appraisal templates and processes.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Performance Management is now a mandatory requirement as outlined in the 2021 Revised Public Service Rules, serving as a cornerstone for assessing, rewarding, and developing civil servants. It aims to improve institutional effectiveness, identify capacity gaps, and ensure every officer contributes significantly to national development goals.
Accordingly, the OHCSF has issued a directive mandating all MDAs to conclude the following PMS-related activities by Friday, 28th March 2025:
- Conduct of the 2025 Annual Performance Management Retreat;
- Development and agreement on performance expectations and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for 2025;
- Cascading and signing of Performance Contracts from the institutional level down to the individual level; and
- Institutionalization of Monthly Performance Reviews and Quarterly Performance Appraisals.
In line with this directive, our Ministry is fully committed to complying with all outlined requirements within the stipulated timeline. Achieving this will, however, require our collective resolve, active participation, and unwavering dedication to the implementation of the PMS.
The role of leadership is central to the success of PMS implementation. This includes but is not limited to:
- Providing clear policy direction, support, and oversight for PMS execution across all departments and units;
- Fostering a culture of transparency, feedback, collaboration, and continuous improvement;
- Investing in digital tools and technologies to ensure seamless monitoring, reporting, and evaluation;
- Utilizing PMS outcomes to inform decisions on promotions, training and capacity development, and improvements in service delivery.
Distinguished Directors,
As we proceed with this retreat and the performance contract signing ceremony, I urge everyone to be actively engaged in the sessions. Let us take this opportunity to interrogate our strategies, refine our plans, and recommit ourselves to the goals and expectations of the Performance Management System.
Together, we can strengthen the Ministry’s capacity to deliver on its mandate and contribute meaningfully to the national housing and urban development agenda.
Thank you all for your commitment, collaboration, and dedication.
God bless you.
God bless the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
