The Lagos State Government has concluded a 2-day fish farming training for the retired staff of the State’s Public Service on Tuesday at the T-Block Conference hall, Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.
The Permanent Secretary Public Service Office Mrs. Sunkanmi Oyegbola ably represented by the Secretary Staff Housing Board, Mr. Abdul-Rafiu Fashola in his closing remark averred that “this programme being part of the State Government efforts and commitments to provide the right tools and environment not only to serving workers but equally engage our retirees to excel after retirement, having served and contributed their quotas to the development of the state”.
He noted that “the objective of the training is to create a mindset change in Retirees, exposure to opportunities available in farming, Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs), empowerment of retirees with competencies and innovative skills, mentoring, reduction of physical and emotional stress and untimely eradication of poverty”.
“To further support the Retirees, the Office of the Head of Service has recently recreated wellness centers in each of the five divisions of the State to cater for the wellness of the retirees, in all these centres, we have organized games/support service to the Retirees, as parts of the way to relax and refresh themselves”.
“I wish to also respectfully commend Mr. Governor Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, and the Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, for their unalloyed supports at all times and for approving this training programme for about 30 retired Public Servants in the Lagos State public service. This will be held quarterly”.
“Before concluding this address, I wish to use this medium to appreciate the efforts and leadership role our amiable Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola is playing in the pursuit of the course of Retirees. Permit me to urge our active Public Servants, to remain committed to the well-tested values, ethos and traditions of honesty, probity, transparency, integrity, hard work and excellent service delivery that has characterized the Lagos State Public Service”.
One of the retirees who benefited from the training spoke with Lagos Panorama, Rasheed Oladejo-Pedro said “It’s repository, it has exposed us to a lot of businesses we never thought of, and it’s an opportunity for us to also kill boredom, to engage ourselves in serious activities, morning, afternoon, night and this is very good for all retirees”.
He also advised the state government to start the laudable empowerment programme for staff months before their disengagement from service so as to enable them hit the ground running immediately after retirement.
