Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Monday swore-in five new Permanent Secretaries into the State Civil Service, with a charge on them to place high premium on efficient service delivery and work to make the machinery of governance to roll faster in the overall interest of the people.
Speaking after the oath of office was administered on the appointees at Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja, Governor Ambode said the Permanent Secretaries must bring their wealth of experience and knowledge to bear in their respective Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and go all-out to meet the high expectations of not only government but the teeming population of the State.
“With this appointment, you have all effectively become the Accounting Officer of your MDAs. You have been entrusted with a bigger and more sensitive responsibility which will put to test your leadership and managerial skills.
“Let me remind you of the very high expectations that will be placed on you, not only from the government but more importantly, from the over 22 million Lagosians who desire efficient and service delivery. Your ability to meet these expectations will depend on the amount of creativity and innovation you can bring to bear in the discharge of your responsibilities.
“Nobody expects you to reinvent the wheel. What is expected of you is to bring to bear your knowledge and experience so that the machinery of governance can roll faster and deliver more quality results to the teeming population of our State,” the Governor counseled the appointees.
While congratulating the new Permanent Secretaries, the Governor said it was on record that the elevation was strictly based on merit as evidenced by their outstanding performance, commitment and dedication to duty over the years, saying they must work to justify their appointments.
The appointees are Dr. Olabisi Taiwo (Ministry of Health), Mr. Olusegun Ajibade (Public Service Office), Mrs. Abiayo Akinsiku (Primary Healthcare Board), Dr. Yusuf Jimoh (Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations), and Mr. Ganiyu Rufai (Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives).
Responding on behalf of the new Permanent Secretaries, Taiwo expressed gratitude to God and Governor Ambode for the opportunity to serve the State at the highest level in the civil service, just as she assured that they would not betray the confidence reposed in them but rather uphold the principles of public service.