The Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri- Okunola has assured all public servants of improved welfare packages, as well as conducive working environment in its bid to ensure effective and efficient service delivery amongst the entire workforce.
Okunola disclosed this at the ongoing Year 2020 Ministerial Briefing on account of stewardship in the State Public Service to mark the first year anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo- Olu led administration, held at JJT Park, Alausa, Ikeja.
He re-affirmed that in fulfillment of the present administration’s promise to strengthen institutional capacity of Ministries Department and Agencies, Governor Sanwo- Olu had granted approval for the procurement and allocation of official vehicles to all the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, Principal Officers in the State Public Service as well as utility vehicles for use of Ministries Department Agencies, adding that such procurement and allocation of vehicles includes, Ministerial Operational Vehicles, Departmental Utility Vehicles, Specialized Operations Vehicles as well as Bicycles and Motorbikes for Central Business District (CBD) Administration. This is in line with the Security and Governance pillar of the THEMES agenda of the administration in Lagos State.
The Head of Service, further stated that Governor Sanwo- Olu led administration had approved the conclusion of the Year 2020 Promotion Exercise in a manner that demonstrates understanding, compassion and emerging realities of the time, saying that the approval took particular note of the imminent retirement from the Public Service and the necessity to ensure that such retiring officers are not deprived of their statutory entitlement and terminal grade levels.
He maintained that in recognition of the critical importance of a sustained availability of health care professionals in the State Health Sector, the present administration now embarked on seamless automatic replacement procedure in the State Health Sector and approved special allowances for health care professionals beyond the traditional hazard allowance.
He opined that as a clear demonstration of the commitment of the present administration to staff welfare, the Lagos State Governor, approved the replacement of 35 old buses out of the fleet of 55 staff buses, used in conveying members of staff to and fro the Secretariat, with 35 brand new Marcopolo Scania Buses, adding that the fleet covers 44 designated routes across the 5 divisions of the State and the border towns of Akute and Mowe/Ibafo in Ogun State.
He maintained that, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo- Olu, has graciously approved and released a whopping sum as Housing Loan Subvention in fulfillment of his promise to prioritize Staff welfare and has since been disbursed as loans to 1,372 members of Staff compared to what was achieved in 2018 adding that eighty-eight (88) eligible members of staff were issued letters of Allocation of Staff Quarters, compared to fifty-one (51) allotted in year 2018.
Okunola stated that in encouraging more Public Servants to proffer solutions to identified challenges and get commensurate rewards for their ideas, the Office of the Head of Service through Office Transformation Creativity and Innovation has established the Creativity & Innovation (C&I) Committee in additional State Institutions, some of which include Ikeja Local Government and Olorunda Local Council Development Area, thereby bringing the total to 88 Institutions, including Hospitals and School Districts across Lagos State.
’’As part of the measures put in place to ensure that Public Servants embrace the culture of Creativity and Innovation, Office of Transformation Creativity and Innovation has carried out a service wide sensitization exercise on mainstreaming the culture of creativity & Innovation in the mainstream civil service, education and health sectors as well as in Local Governments (LGs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs)’’ he mentioned.
While the Procurement Agency has carried out series of advocacy and sensitization programmes for key internal and external stakeholders in the public procurement process, which includes, Accounting Officers and other key Officers of Ministries Department and Agencies, Chairmen, Council Managers, Council Treasurers and other relevant Senior Officers of Local Governments/Local Council Development Areas of the State as well as members of the business community as the chief driver of change in the public procurement process of the State Government.
