Sanwo-Olu appoints 9 permanent secretaries

LAGOS, Nigeria – Lagos State Government, on Monday, appointed nine new Permanent Secretaries for key ministries and departments, with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu charging the appointees to ensure Lagos residents get the best of their services.

At the swearing-in event held at the Banquet Hall in the Governor’s Office in Alausa, Sanwo-Olu said the appointees were selected for the position for their “exceptional pedigrees”, which, he said, indicated that the state was in for an enhanced service delivery in its public service.

The Governor said the choice of the new Permanent Secretaries was based purely on merit, pointing out that he had no personal relationship with none of the appointees which could have influenced their appointments.

This, he said, was a departure from established practice in making appointments of such nature, reiterating his administration’s belief in elevating merit and distinction above personal consideration.

He said: “I charge our new Permanent Secretaries to see their elevation as a call for more service and to give their best to the citizens of Lagos. I have no doubt that you all will give in your best at all times. I am convinced that Lagosians are in for a renewed and enhanced public service that will take good governance to the doorsteps of ordinary people.

“These appointments are a demonstration of what is to come in the coming days. With the full cabinet coming tomorrow (Tuesday), the people of Lagos will be better off with this choice and all our promises condensed in Project T.H.E.M.E.S will begin to work fully and make life easy for Lagosians. At the end of our tenure, we want to be seen to have truly improved the quality of life for greater number of residents.

“I must confess I have not met most of the newly-appointed Permanent Secretaries before today. What this means is that you don’t need to see or know the Governor before your work speaks for you. Some of them whom I interacted with in the course of governance after I assumed office have shown high level of integrity and professionalism.”

Sanwo-Olu said the appointees demonstrated capability, capacity and competence, hailing the state’s civil service for producing quality personnel with unrivalled knowledge and capability in service delivery.

The Governor advised directors and workers in lower cadres in the civil service to be diligent in the discharge of their duty, noting that they did not need to know highly placed individuals to be rewarded with promotions.

Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, while presenting the appointees to the Governor, said the new Permanent Secretaries possessed “unblemished records” in their years of service to the state.

He said: “The appointees are deemed to have remained consistent in their commitment, loyalty and industry over the years and are transparently adjudged deserving of recognition in this regard. I encourage all public servants to continue to work hard and be more innovative in the discharge of their duties. Delivery of excellent results would only speak for the diligent ones when the time comes.”

Speaking on behalf of the appointees after taking the oath, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Wale Musa, praised Sanwo-Olu for finding them worthy of the opportunity, promising not to betray the Governor’s confidence reposed in them.

Other Permanent Secretaries sworn in are Mrs. Kikelomo Sanyaolu, Civil Service Commission; Mr. Nurudeen Shodeinde, Office of Drainage Services; Mrs. Khadijat Shitta-Bay, Ministry of Justice; Mrs. Olorunkemi Durosinmi-Etti, Cabinet Office; Mrs. Oluyemi Kalesanwo, Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation; Mr. Moruf Agoro, Ministry of Waterfront and Rural Development; Mrs. Belinda Odeneye, Ministry of Environment, and Mr. Babatunde Olaide-Mesewaku, Ministry of Tourism.