The Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) has commenced a high-impact training programme for 120 directors of administration and human resources from the Lagos State Public Service to enhance service delivery.
The capacity-building initiative is focused on enhancing performance and driving excellence in service delivery across ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
In her keynote address, the director-general of ASCON, Mrs Funke Adepoju, described the initiative as both timely and transformative and commended the Lagos State government for what she termed, “a bold and historic investment in human capital.
“The decision to retool 120 of the state’s finest Directors at ASCON is a flagship example of how deliberate investment in people can catalyse institutional transformation. This cadre holds immense strategic potential in advancing governance reforms.”
Adepoju noted that the five pillars of the training – Strategic Planning, Talent Management, Performance Management, Employee Relations, and Learning and Development – are not mere concepts but critical tools for driving reform, accountability and innovation.
“These pillars are enablers of change. Your departments are not on the periphery – you manage the people who execute government mandates. Your effectiveness is directly tied to service delivery outcomes,” she emphasised.
She further explained that the programme had been carefully curated to be immersive, practical, and competency-based, designed to equip the Directors not just with knowledge, but with demonstrable leadership skills to navigate an evolving governance landscape.
The programme, “Retooling for Excellence: The Strategic Role of Administration and Human Resource Managers – Focusing on the five pillars of HR in the Lagos State Public Service,” aims to strengthen the public service’s backbone.
In his remarks, the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr Bode Agoro, who was represented by the permanent secretary, Ministry of Waterfront and Infrastructure Development, Mrs Aina Ololade, said the training reaffirms the state government’s commitment to continuous professional development of its workforce.
“This programme is a testament to our administration’s vision of a dynamic, efficient and people-centred civil service,” he said.
The permanent secretary, Public Service, Office of the Head of Service, Mrs Sunkanmi Oyegbola, urged participants to embrace the opportunity to lead with renewed purpose.
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