9th April, 2019
Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode and the Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, UNILAG, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe on Tuesday emphasised the importance of teamwork and synergy in achieving corporate objectives.
They declared that synergy held the key to maximum and ultimate performance as it represented “our way” rather than “my way or your way.”
Speaking at a two-day training for civil servants in Ikeja, Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, Ambode expressed the commitment of his administration to assist the state civil service to appreciate and acquire the benefits that training brought to bear in attainment of strategic objective of government and the effectiveness of the institutions of the state civil service.
Ambode, who was represented by the Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Benson Oke said teamwork on its own could be likened to two compounds essential to life, adding that it was a glue that kept a team together and a bond which promoted strength, unity, reliability and support.
“Teamwork is also the oil that makes the team work. It can enable smoother movement towards targets, can prolong forward momentum, and can help teams to overcome obstacles.
“Teamwork has the potential to underpin so much of what is valuable in work. In fact, maximised performance cannot be achieved without the teamwork synergies that are essential for effective organisational growth,” he said.
Ambode contended that synergies were not only about cost reduction but could also be access to markets, exchange of products, avoiding overlaps, and exchange of best practices.
“It is on this note that it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to this 2-Day Training Programme tagged, ‘Team Building and Synergy Workshop for Peak Performance.’
“The facilitators of this programme have proved their mettle time and time again. I am confident that the resource persons lined up for this programme will ensure that all participants appreciate the value of synergy and teamwork for maximum organisational performance,” the governor said.
Speaking with newsmen, the Vice- Chancellor, University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, said the training was about teamwork and synergy to enable civil servants increase their productivity and become result-oriented.
“You know the purpose of this training is for the civil servants to have the teamwork, the synergy and to be able to increase their productivity. And this is very important, not only teamwork within themselves, but teamwork between one person, teamwork between a group and another group.
“The main purpose is to improve the working quality, the productivity and to be result-oriented,” he said.
Director of Training, Office of Establishment and Training, Mr. Deji Aruna, said Ambode was committed to ensuring that the state civil service was fully prepared for the job as the engine room for development and, therefore, the need for regular training and retraining of members.