FG gives 12 months to human resource personnel to acquire professional certification

The Federal Government says it has given 12 months of grace to human resources personnel in the Federal Civil Service to acquire relevant professional certification, according to a circular sighted by BusinessDay on Monday.

According to the Circular signed by Esther Walson-Jack, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, the circular sets out the applicable certification requirements, transitional provisions and conditions for deployment of Administrative cadre officers to a Human Resource (HR) role Service-wide.

The Head of Service said it was also in furtherance of the implementation of Circulars Ref No. HCSF/CMO/PMD/035/1/64 of 31st August 2023 and Ref No. HCSF/SPSO/ODD/CND/100/S.1/195 of 2Ist March 2024 on Professionalisation of Human Resource Management in the Federal Civil Service.

The Federal Government said the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) shall only recognise HR professional certifications obtained from bodies such as ” Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) (https://www.c pmnigera.org): b) Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), United Kingdom (htt s: www.cipd.org).

Others include the”Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), United States of America (https://www. hirm.or ): d) Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI), United States of America (https://www hrci.org); e) Chartered Professionals in Human Resources (CPHR) Canada (https://www.cphr.cqg): or f) Any other HR certification body that may be approved by the OHCSF from time-to-time.”

The Circular defined Human Resource role in Ministries, Extra-Ministerial Departments and Agencies, as “a role responsible for workforce planning and recruitment, onboarding, employee records and HR information management, performance management, career progression, training and capacity development.”

The roles also include staff welfare and compensation, discipline, employee and industrial relations, and exit management or any other role that may be approved by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

The Circular which takes immediate effect, also provides “a moratorium period of twelve (12) months from the date of the Circular, as the period granted to all affected officers to obtain approved HR certification.”

The circular also stipulates that “during the moratorium, affected officers may remain in their current roles, or be deployed appropriately provided they present verifiable evidence of enrolment and demonstrable progress towards certification within 6 months of this Circular

“Upon expiration of the moratorium, possession of an approved HR certification shall be required for deployment to HR roles in the Human Resource Departments Service-wide: Such certification shall also be required for deployment to “Career Management Office in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation

“Service Policies and Strategies Office in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation

“Service Welfare Office in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation: and the Federal Civil Service Commission”.