Lagos Rewards 514 Public Servants

The Lagos State government has rewarded 514 public servants who have served the state for more than thirty years.

The awardees include Permanent Secretaries, Directors and other officers across all cadres and ministries.

The awardees were given certificates, plaques and gifts for their outstanding contribution in moving the civil service to greater heights.

Speaking at the event held at the Adeyemi-Bero Auditorium, Secretariat, Alausa, in Lagos, southwest Nigeria, the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, said the award was in recognition of the awardees’ diligence, steadfastness and loyalty to the people and government of the state.

She noted that the history of the achievements of the present administration in the state would not be complete without recognising the role and contributions of the state public service.

“We appreciate your efforts and contributions in rendering quality and purposeful service towards effective execution and implementation of various government policies, programmes and projects in Lagos State,” she said, adding that: “We have toiled day and night to build a new Lagos that has continued to be a reference point for all other states in Nigeria in terms of infrastructural development and effective public service delivery.”

The deputy governor added that apart from recognising and rewarding the public servants, the award would provide the opportunity to reflect on the successes and achievements so far recorded by the state government.

Congratulating the awardees, Mrs. Orelope-Adefulire noted that the award was not a send-off party to offload them from the system, but a token from the state government to acknowledge, not just what they had done, but that they stood for hardwork, integrity, steadfastness, diligence honesty, efficiency and performance in service delivery over the years.

“As a government, we are only showing deep appreciation for your sense of commitment, diligence, resilience, loyalty and dedication to duty as exemplified by your length of service to the government and people of Lagos State. So we still expect more from you. As our governor always says, the reward for hardwork is more work,” she said.

Earlier, the Head of Service, Mr. Adesegun Ogunlewe said the award was to further encourage diligence, commitment and loyalty among public servants in the state, in anticipation that it would spur awardees to put in more.

He disclosed that about 1,635 public servants had benefited from the award since it was introduced in 2006 by the administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while congratulating the recipients for their diligence, dedication, loyalty and invaluable contribution to the state public service. He also charged them not to rest on their oars but continue to exhibit a high sense of responsibility and unalloyed loyalty.

—Kazeem Ugbodaga