By: Omolara Osindele

Management Staff in the Ogun State Civil/Public Service have been charged to continuously imbibe the attitude of self development, and not necessarily wait for their employers, although government would continue to do the needful at human capital development of its workforce.

The Head of Service, Dr. Nafiu Aigoro gave the charge today while declaring open a 2-day training with the theme,  "Performance Improvement for Management Staff" organised by the Bureau of Establishments and Training, Office of the Head of Service, in conjunction with the Management Studies Department of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Badagry, held at the Valley View auditorium, Isale-Igbein, Abeokuta.

According to the Head of Service, the Management Staff, who can be aptly described as the bridge for grooming the next generation of leaders that will take over from them, and in no distant time, would be appointed into chief executive posts, if given priority attention in terms of empowerment is not out of place.

He revealed that, while conducting written examinations and oral interviews for eligible officers into the executive posts, gaps were noticed in the managerial and leadership abilities of officers, hence, this management training at this time to build administrative capacities in this set of officers to prepare them for higher tasks. 

"In a bid to address the observed gaps, this tailor-made training was packaged in collaboration with the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) as part of our stop-gap solution to the challenge. It is pertinent to note that the participants here are just a fraction of the total number of officers eligible for this training. It is our plan to conduct this training in batches to ensure no eligible officer is left out" , the Head of Service said.

While appreciating the governor for buying into the idea of the training by approving the needed funds, as shown in the administration's commitment towards human capital development, Dr. Aigoro enjoined the participants to reciprocate government's gesture with improved productivity in all their MDAs.

In their separate remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Public Service Reforms, formerly known as the Bureau of Public Service Transformation Office (PSTO), Mr. Jola Oyeneye and his counterpart from the Civil Service Commission, Mr. Adedayo Somoye, advised the participants to position themselves to take full advantage of the training in order to make remarkable difference when they return to their various offices so as not to remain on the same level with those who are yet to participate.

They urged them to use the training to improve on themselves as training is a key part of the government's reform, while they must remain apolitical as we are in the electioneering year, be fair to everyone around them in decision making especially in terms of pieces of advice they give and support their principals to ensure discipline in its entirety in order not to hinder the activities in their various MDAs.

In an opening remark, the Director-General, ASCON, Mrs. Cecilia Gayya, represented by the Director of Studies, who doubles as the HoD, Management Consultancy, ASCON, Mr. John Ayuba, reassured the govt that the best hands to equip the  participants to cope with managerial capacities, which will in turn make them acquire the requisite skills to perform optimally had been deployed and admonished them to make good use of what is acquired for onward transfer to others.

The DG appreciated the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led government for the opportunity to train its workforce despite paucity of funds as so many states of the federation turned down the offer for obvious reasons and urged the participants to reciprocate government's huge investment by putting in their best to the service after the training.

Earlier in a welcome address, the host of the day, the  Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Establishments and Training, Mrs. Lydia Fajounbo, said her bureau, saddled with the responsibility of organising trainings has trained various cadres of officers and it's now the turn of Management Staff, in order to boost their performance at their various beats.

Mrs. Fajounbo called on the participants to use the training for personal improvement, to network, cross fertilise ideas, and at the end of the programme, positively impact on the service and the state at large.

In separate interviews, Mrs. Wonuola Kassim from the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mr. Babatunde Abatan from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and Mrs. Bamidele Makinde from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, who described the training as impactful, superb, valuable and the right step in the right direction said they've been well equipped and that  their leadership capacities built upon for effective output in the discharge of their statutory duties when they return to work.

They lauded the State Government for the confidence reposed in them by organising the training for them, with a promise to continue to discharge optimally.

Papers were delivered on Strategic Management, Effective Leadership Skills, Policy Formulation and Implementation as well as Public Service Rules in the first day of the training.