The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Works, Olufunsho Adebiyi, has voiced serious concern over the growing trends of corruption, politicisation, and dwindling professionalism within the ministry, warning that civil servants are increasingly being made scapegoats for systemic failures.
Adebiyi made the comments on Tuesday at the opening of the Batch 1 Three-Day Training Programme for highway engineers, technologists, and technicians in the North Central Zone, held in Abuja.
He lamented that while political leaders often avoid scrutiny, it is the civil servants who face the heat of anti-corruption probes and public judgment.
“Political authorities will always come and go. But when the chips are down, who does EFCC invite? Who gets locked up?” Adebiyi asked.
“Even the EFCC Chairman once said civil servants are more corrupt than politicians—and he singled out the Ministry of Works. That is not a good reputation.”
He expressed worry over the ministry’s declining public image, noting that civil servants are regularly accused of wrongdoing, with letters from anti-corruption bodies like the ICPC becoming routine.
“Just this morning, I received five letters from the ICPC. Accusations, abuse—they keep coming. Some of you have died on this job, yet the public still mocks you. There are places you can’t even drive with a Ministry of Works plate number anymore without facing abuse.”
According to him, the increasing politicisation of operations has hurt project implementation, demoralised staff, and further weakened the credibility of the institution.
On the issue of professional development, Adebiyi criticised the stagnation within the system, observing that many deputy directors have never stepped into a laboratory since joining the ministry. He blamed a culture that rewards political loyalty over technical expertise.
“Some officers are promoted beyond their capacity. Others have stayed in one place for 20 to 30 years. That must stop. We’re now rotating officers across departments and regions to build a more versatile workforce.”
He also emphasized the importance of discipline in public service, warning that misconduct would not go unpunished.
“The era of impunity is over,” he said.
“We have clear, documented procedures for discipline. This ministry must be known for performance and professionalism.”
Adebiyi further warned against the societal obsession with quick wealth, describing it as damaging to the values of the civil service.
“This get-rich-quick syndrome is destroying our profession. There’s dignity in doing your job well and seeing your projects come to life.”
He encouraged engineers to stop feeling lesser than other professionals, stressing that engineering remains one of the most intellectually rigorous fields.
“Knowledge empowers you. It builds your ego. No one can look down on you when you’re truly competent.”
Also speaking at the event, retired Director of Federal Highways, Oyekanmi, commended the turnout and expressed optimism about the training initiative.
“We’re bringing back retirees to train active staff and improve service delivery. The turnout and enthusiasm here show that people are ready to learn,” he said.
Oyekanmi, who spent decades overseeing federal road projects, noted that while the Ministry still has the country’s best stock of civil engineers, they are now overwhelmed by the increasing volume of projects.
“If projects have tripled, then staffing must grow accordingly. Engineers are built to work under pressure,” he said, urging Nigerian youth to take advantage of current professional development efforts as a means to uplift the sector.
