LASG: Top local government officials seek improved collaboration, governance at grassroots

… As Local Govt Service Commission holds Retreat

To engender a cordial working relationship among principal officials at the Local Government level, critical stakeholders in local government administration across the 57 LGAs and LCDAs in Lagos State have gathered to brainstorm and identify gaps hindering effective governance at the grassroots.

These top government officials comprise of the Chairman Local Government Service Commission, Commissioners representing the five IBILE zones across the State, Permanent Secretaries of Local Government Service Commission and Local Government Establishment and Training Office, Council Managers, Council Treasurers, Human Resource Administrators of 57 Unified Local Government Areas LCDA and officials of the Local Government Service Commission among others.

Speaking at the retreat organized by the Lagos State Local Government Service Commission, the Chairman of the Commission, Hon. Kamal Bayewu affirmed that all public servants have vital roles to play in upholding the principles of ethical governance.

He informed that the theme of the Retreat: “Organizational Behavior in the Public Sector: Ethical Governance and Brand Carriage in Administration”,underscores the pivotal role that this Commission plays in fostering a culture of ethical governance and upholding the standards of our administration.

Hon. Bayewu who was a former local government Chairman of Ajeromi Ifelodun, emphasized the need for the actions and decisions of government officials to be guided by integrity, transparency, and accountability.

According to him, by adhering to ethical standards in governance, local government officials will not only build trust with the public but will also be contributing to the overall development and progress of Lagos State.

In his words: “It is important for us to know that we all are major contributors to how our employer, the Lagos State Government is perceived by members of the public either directly or indirectly.

“By embracing a customer-centric approach in all our dealings, we can enhance the overall experience of the public and reinforce our commitment to quality service delivery.”

He reiterated that the whole essence of the retreat is “to let us appreciate the need for continuous enhancement of our knowledge and skills. The world is evolving rapidly, and as public servants, we must keep pace with the changing dynamics.

“We must always embrace opportunities for professional development, training, and capacity building. By staying updated and adaptable, we can better serve the public and contribute to the growth and development of our State.”

He implored participants at this Retreat to ensure that their actions are consistently reinforcing the trust the public places in their care, just as he expresses the hope that the retreat will be a catalyst for positive change and will ignite a renewed sense of purpose and dedication to duties.

The Permanent Secretary Local Government Service Commission, Mrs Abosede George while appreciating participants for their presence and contributions at the event, implored them not to relent in their efforts to work towards achieving the THEMES PLUS agenda of the present administration.

She said all hands must be on deck to deliver good and quality governance to Lagosians at the grassroots, stressing that Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration believes in the capacity development of employees of the State including local government workers.

On his part, the Chairman of Conference 57 who is also the Chairman of Bariga LCDA, Hon Kolade Alabi, described the initiative of bringing the decision-makers at the local government level together as ingenious and proof that the current leadership of the Local Government Service Commission values inclusivity.

While saying that the retreat should be an annual gathering at the beginning of every year, Hon. Alabi maintained that such a gathering will assist in unlocking some bottlenecks in local government administration and will also reduce conflict or interest arising from inadequate knowledge of how local government works.

He used the occasion of the Retreat to plead for a “bottom-up” approach to governance where local government areas will be fully involved in every decision of government from the federal to the State government levels.

He said: “Our local government system has the best hands of knowledgeable individuals. The government at the grassroots has the capacity and capability to turn things around hence the need for us to continue to develop and build the capacities of these officers through conferences and workshops like this because the future of this country lies in effective local government administration.”