The Lagos State Civil Service Commission has organised a three-day sensitisation programme tagged: “Career week programme” for Permanent Secretaries, Directors of Human Resource and Administration and Schedule officers in the Administrative and Human Resource Directorates in the State Public Service.
The programme with the theme “Developing the state workforce towards a fulfilling career in the public service,” the first of its kind, was organised to bridge observed gaps in human resource management and build the capacity of officers for enhanced productivity.
Chairman, Lagos State Civil Service Commission, Mrs Olubunmi Fabamwo, said the Commission has continued to centre its activities on creating a competent and motivated workforce that is disciplined and productive.
She noted that in the last two years since the inauguration of the present Commission Members, a number of innovative programmes and activities had been introduced, stating the “Career Week Programme,” which is yet another initiative of the Commission was a product of keen observations.
She informed that the programme was designed to sensitise and enlighten civil/public servants on the ground rules, regulations, processes and procedures that guide their career management and development.
The chairman noted that the essence of the Programme is to ensure public servants who are the ‘engine room’ of government, are well-informed and grounded for effective and impactful service delivery.
Chairman Lagos Assembly Committee on Establishments, Training and Pensions, Hon. Yinka Ogundimu, restated the support of the House of Assembly to initiatives that would help engender a virile and efficient Public Service.
While commending the Civil Service Commission’s initiative, the lawmaker underscored the need for the commission, to ensure adequate dissemination of information about its activities as it affects every civil servant.
He implored the leadership of the Commission not to limit the programme to top Government officials and senior officers alone, but to expand the reach to staff in the middle and lower level grades, in order to enlighten them and build their capacity.
While declaring the Career Week open, Lagos Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, commended the Chairman, Commission members and entire management of the Civil Service Commission for the career week programme initiative.
The Head of Service, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Mr. Samson Ajibade, noted that the career week marks a distinct milestone in government’s effort at continuous sensitisation of its workforce on salient issues to maintain a vibrant and virile public service.
Permanent Secretary, Civil Service Commission, Mrs Boladele Dapo-Thomas, charged participants to take advantage of the programme.
She informed that the Commission in the course of carrying out its statutory responsibilities observed a seeming dearth of deep knowledge and understanding of the Public Service Rules, Schemes of Service and Extant Provisions that regulate the Human Resource ecosystem of the Service by most Civil/Public Servants
She said to address this concern that birthed the career week programme, a unique component of the week activities is the career clinic, where specific career challenges of staff would be addressed.
The Permanent Secretary also stated that the Programme would be sustained as an annual event, adding that the next edition would be expanded to accommodate more public servants.
Highlights of the event included stakeholders’ interactive sessions and presentations on “Human Resource Management and accounting officers’ roles: Public service rules perspectives”; “Tying the loose ends in disciplinary proceedings: Preventing legal land mines”; “Human resource management reforms in the public service” and “Maximising health insurance policies” amongst others.
