Chairman of Federal Civil Service Commission, Prof. Tunji Olaopa, yesterday, gave a hint of a partnership between the commission and the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM).

Olaopa dropped the hint when the President of CIPM, Ahmed Ladan Gobir, led officials of the organisation on a courtesy visit to the FCSC in Abuja.Olaopa said partnership between FCSC and CIPM would modernise human resource management and thus enable the effective and efficient functioning of the civil service. He promised to relate with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to advance the idea.

Olaopa, who thanked the CIPM for making him part of its family, noted that he was interested in the professionalisation of the public service, especially in the area of HR management, for which he had worked relentlessly since 1995.

On the desirability of the certification of officers as HR professionals, he cautioned that the process was not enough for true professionalisation unless it was accompanied by requisite skilling and competency impartation, especially for practice in public sector melee.

Earlier, Gobir commended Olaopa for the role the FCSC was playing in ensuring a virile public service. He specifically thanked Olaopa for being a teacher, leader, trainer and mentor. He invited him to his institute’s international conference and exhibition holding in Abuja on October 12.