Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has tasked the newly appointed 11, Permanent Secretaries, in the Lagos State civil service on the need to scale up efficiency and reposition the wheel of governance for improved service delivery.
The new Permanent Secretaries were sworn in on Friday at a ceremony held at Banquet Hall in the State House, Alausa, and presided over by the Governor. The swearing-in followed weeks of rigorous screenings of 54 candidates shortlisted for the positions.
The governor also appointed a five-member Standing Tribunal of Enquiry on Chieftaincy Matters led by retired Justice O. A Dabiri, just as he reassigned some of the serving Permanent Secretaries for improvement in their discharge of duties.
Sanwo-Olu said the new permanent secretaries were picked from a pool of eligible public officers interviewed based on their “exceptional” performance and track record in their respective areas of duty across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
He said: “The role of Permanent Secretary is fundamental to the success of every Government. This administration appreciates the contribution Permanent Secretaries are playing to reaching our goals and the pleasant achievements we have recorded so far. I am delighted to congratulate this class of public servants for their numerous contributions made in their MDAs and in the State to have merited this opportunity.
“You must discharge your responsibilities with the assurance that Lagosians see the best of governance in all spheres of public service. Our citizens must get the best of our services at all times. Based on your years of service and capacity, I want to believe this class of Permanent Secretaries will work to ensure more dividends of good governance are delivered to the electorate,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The Governor said the Standing Tribunal on Enquiry on Chieftaincy Matters was established in 2001 to address and adjudicate on disputed chieftaincy titles among communities, with the objective to facilitate and make resolutions of issues through its rulings and recommendations.
For improved efficiency and alignment of functions, Sanwo-Olu moved the tribunal, which was formerly under the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, to the Ministry of Justice.
Those appointed as Permanent Secretaries are Olumide Michael Sogunle (Ministry of Information and Strategy), Okufunke Idowu Oyetola (Tutor General, Education District III), Olasunkanmi Mopileola Oyegbola (Public Service Office), Kikelomo Arinola Dawodu (Office of CentraI Internal Audit) and Abdulhafis Gbolahan Toriola (Ministry of Transportation).
Others are Olubusola Ajibola Abidakun (Teaching Service Commission), Olasupo Ololade Aina (Ministry of Home Affairs), Olufolake Ibilola Kasunmu (Ministry of Science and Technology), Oluwole Olumide Sotire, (Ministry of Waterfront and Infrastructure) and Ibrahim Amodu Obajomo (Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget)
Other members of the Standing Tribunal of Enquiry on Chieftaincy Matters are Chief Mariam Olaniyi, Chief Adebola Dosumu, Engr. Jimoh Folorunsho Kazeem and Mr. Nojeem Ola Agunbiade.