Capacity building: 120 civil servants benefited from Ambode’s training programme since 2015

While some states are facing myriads of challenges with its state civil service, Lagos State, according to the Commissioner, Ministry of Establishments, Training, and Pensions, Dr. Akintola, Benson, the Lagos State Government, under the leadership of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has conducted 120 local and international training sessions for its workers since the beginning of his administration.

Dr. Benson disclosed this at the first training session in 2018 for senior civil servants with the topic: “Fundamental Leadership Principles For Senior Civil Servants in Lagos State”.

He said the state has been able to achieve this feat when other states are grappling with non payment of salaries.

He stated that the trainings has enhanced workers productivity level that has in turn impacted on the state.

He stressed that the maximisation of efficiency and the achievement of organisational goals are the top priorities of the Governor Ambode’s administration for the state civil service.

This according to him, explains why trainings have been given primacy and also underlines the other numerous trainings tailored to inculcate, improve, and amplify the leadership abilities and skills of senior officers in the civil service.

Benson said the governor believes the state will make rapid progress and experience exponential growth only when its units and teams and departments are staffed by persons who understand what leadership means and who have developed their leadership potentials and have enhanced their performance skills.

He noted that states or any organisation with such exposure will have no problem that is too complicated, no task too herculean and no challenge too huge.

He urge the workers to tap from the governor’s vision for the state public service of which they are an integral part.

He aid: “This is the first training in year 2018 and it is instructive that the focus is on what is perhaps the most important element for success in any organisation. Leadership is that element that helps organizations to maximise efficiency and achieve organizational goals.

“With such trainings, civil servants are better equipped to effectively discharge their roles as leaders in the different departments and units of the State”, he added as pensioners’ resident abroad are set to be verified

The Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) has revealed plans to collaborate with the Presidency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to verify Nigerian Pensioners living outside the country.

This, according to the Executive Secretary of the Directorate, Barrister Sharon Ikeazor, is part of its efforts aimed at creating a comprehensive database of all Nigerian Pensioners under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS).

Ikeazor, during a chat with the Chairman of the Military Pensions Board, Brig. General Adekunle Adesope said the agency is also working on bringing back pensioners into the National Health Insurance Scheme with government subsidizing their contribution.

She disclosed that already, PTAD has commenced discussion with the office of the Special Assistant to the President on Diaspora matters and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with a view to working out the modalities for the verification since it cannot afford to sent its staff to Nigerian missions abroad.

Ikeazor said the directorate would contact the Associations of Nigerians in the diaspora to know the concentration of Nigerians abroad and is considering using the Nigerian Missions with the possible training of some of their staff on how to conduct the verification.

She said that at the moment, retired workers living abroad were still on the pension payroll and receives their pension constantly, pointing out that as part of its ongoing verification, the agency constantly include names of genuine pensioners whose names were removed from the payroll in previous exercise.
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Stories by Joy Ekeke