Top government officials at the event
The Lagos State Government at the weekend said Local Governments in the state must brace up to deliver the dividends of democracy to people at the grassroots.
Director General, Public Service Development Staff Development Centre, PSSDC, Olufunmi Ajose-Harrison, gave this charge at the orientation ceremony of the two-year Diploma Programme in Local Government Administration for Local Government workers at Magodo, Ketu area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria. The programme is held in conjunction with the Lagos State University, LASU.
According o Ajose-Harrison, one of the key performance indicators of effective public sector management was the ability to effectively implement policies, strategies and reforms agenda that delivered, guaranteed and sustained the dividends of democracy to the grassroots people.
“It is therefore compulsory for public officers to display quality and standard performance in the provision of essential social services to the people. A major approach of realising this is through effective staff training,” he said.
The DG stated that the programme would provide a blend of academic and practitioner professional training in Local Government Administration and Development Studies for middle-level administrative staff in the LGs.
A cross section of participants at the event.
He said it would also equip LG workers with managerial skills for more efficient and effective performance of their administrative duties and also address organisational and operational problems of LG and evolved alternative solutions, with a view to producing practical administrators.
Ajose-Harrison added that the course was designed to remove workers’ fear about stagnation and equip them with skills necessary for the efficient and effective performance of their jobs.
According to him, the programme would provide opportunities for further education and certifications in LG and Development Studies and ancillary courses in Nigerian universities.
Vice Chancellor, LASU, Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, while speaking at the event, said Nigeria, like any other country in the word needed a formidable LG to develop, saying this was why LASU was taking the LG programme very seriously, stressing that the university was on the verge of beginning B.Sc in LG Administration and Development Studies.
He charged the participants to take the programme seriously and to also pursue more knowledge by acquiring a higher degree.
