He spoke while presenting his hand-over notes to the Acting HOS, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita, yesterday in Abuja.
Kifasi said the desire to motivate civil servants for higher productivity has always been constrained by lean budgetary allocation.
The ex-HOS said it had become imperative to adjust expenditure to meet critical needs, sustain operations and ensure effective service delivery to the public.
Kifasi maintained that he had kept faith with the oath of allegiance he took on assumption of office 13 months ago and served the country dutifully and faithfully.
He stressed that with the cooperation of permanent secretaries, he had achieved a lot within the period he was in office.
He hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for the opportunity he gave him to serve.
Kifasi promised continued support for the Buhari administration as he retires, adding that he would always remain proud of the country‘s civil servants, whom he said, played a significant role in stabilising the polity.
The ex-HOS, who joined the civil service in 1990 as an Assistant Director, Accounts, said he had been confronted with lots of challenges which made him a better leader.
He said in spite of the challenges, he remained focused on achieving results and had imbibed the spirit of perseverance and hard work as critical virtues.
He congratulated Oyo-Ita for her appointment and apologised to those that he might have offended in the course of duty, adding that “it was borne out of the desire to deliver.
Mrs. Oyo-Ita hailed Buhari for the opportunity to serve as HOS and lauded Kifasi for his insight and service to the nation.
She called for the collective support of all civil servants, particularly permanent secretaries, to implement government policies and agenda with excellence and in the interest of Nigerians.
Tags
Society