LASG TRAINS OFFICERS ON FOOD SECURITY, CLIMATE CHANGE

By Yomi Durojaye 

As part of a strategy to enhance the capacity of officers in the State Civil Service, the Ministry of Establishments and Training has commenced a two-day training programme for Environmental and Agricultural officers.

 LASG TRAINS OFFICERS ON FOOD SECURITY, CLIMATE CHANGE

The training programme, with the theme: “Food Security and Climate Change” held recently at the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry complex in Lagos.

While declaring the training programme open, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Establishments and Training, Mrs. Olubusola Abidakun noted that the training was apt and timely due to climate change as one of the factors causing food shortage in Nigeria.

According to her, the training was meant to equip officers with the knowledge and skills needed to develop and implement effective strategies that will protect the State’s food security systems and ensure a sustainable future.

Abidakun urged participants to embrace subsistence farming and be its advocate. This practice, she said, would help participants to have access to fresh farm produce thereby enabling a healthy lifestyle and ensuring an increase in supply of food in the state.

The importance of the training was exemplified by the presence of the facilitator, the Commissioner for Environment in Ogun State, Mr. Ola Oresanya, a former General Manager of Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), whose knowledge and expertise in the field of climate change would be a valuable advantage to the participants.

100 participants drawn from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment and Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency are attending the programme.

Lagos trains 376 Councillors on Capacity Building

…Urges Councillors to initiate laws for the good of the people

AgegePulse Magazine 

As part of the efforts of the State Government in ensuring that Councillors are equipped with requisite skills to perform their legislative functions, Lagos State Government organised a two-day Capacity Building Workshop for 376 Councillors across the 57 Councils of the State.

Third from left: HC, MLGCA&RD, Mr Bolaji Kayode Robert; Fourth from left: PS & Accountant-General, State Treasury Office, Dr Biodun Muritala; PS, MLGCA&RD, Mrs Kikelomo Bolarinwa; the Director, Local Government Administration, Mr Razaq Amodu at the Capacity Building Workshop for Local Government Councillors across the 57 Councils in Lagos State held at Odeya Centre, Ikoyi, on Thursday, November 7, 2023

The event which commenced on Thursday, November 7, 2023 at Odeya Centre, Awolowo Road, Ikoyi Lagos is a strategic effort of the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development geared towards aligning Councillors with the T.H.E.M.E.S. Agenda of the administration of Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu to cascade these policies to the grassroots, thereby engendering social and infrastructural development at the grassroots.

HC, MLGCA&RD, Mr Bolaji Kayode Robert; 

Speaking at the event, the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development; Mr Bolaji Kayode Robert applauded the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, for providing the workshop to equip Councillors to perform better as they discharge their legislative duties.

Mr Bolaji while delivering his keynote address, urged participants at the event to see the workshop as a platform to interface with other Councillors across the State to birth a synergy between the Chairmen and Councillors that would make the dream of a Greater Lagos possible and bring us closer to the reality of the Lagos of our dreams.

He added that this workshop would be the berthing of conversations relating to efficient management of resources, creation of a better outlook and modality for governance, which would promote good governance at the grassroots and equally give clarity to governance through the appraisal of constitutional and political principles on which governance and law making at the grassroots is premised.

Similarly, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development; Mrs Kikelomo Bolarinwa,

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development; Mrs Kikelomo Bolarinwa,

while speaking with the press, reiterated the commitment of the State Government to continually build capacity for Councillors who have been entrusted with the responsibility of making laws at the Local Government Level, as it is the closest to the grassroots, hence the need to build strong foundation through strategic workshops such as this.

Earlier, while delivering her welcome address, Mrs Kikelomo Bolarinwa disclosed that the essence of the workshop is to help Councillors make better legislations and to understand the principles behind making legislations that would engender productive and citizen-friendly collaborations with their principals at the various Local Government Level.

While rounding off her speech, Mrs Bolarinwa urged every participant to seize the opportunity to learn and relearn news ways of legislating and collaborating with their chairmen in way that citizens in their Councils would benefit from the dividends that democracy offers.

Chairman, Lagos State Local Government Councillors Forum; Honourable Alimi Nurudeen, commended the State Government for organising the workshop to keep Councillors abreast with standard practices for Local Government Legislation. He added that the workshop would equip Councillors on improved methods to represent the good people of Lagos State as it concerns legislation and bringing the dividends of democracy the people at the grassroots

Cross section of participating councilors at the capacity building training 

Honourable Nurudeen also assured that Councillors would take the lessons from the workshop to heart and use it to influence legislation that would improve the lives of citizens at the grassroots.

The Two-Day Capacity Building Workshop, which had speakers who engaged the Councillors on conversations around Managing in a VUCA Public Service, Training and Certification on the Legislative Process, Process of Making Laws in Nigeria and other valid issues, had in attendance the Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Mr Bolaji Kayode Robert; the Permanent Secretary and Accountant-General, State Treasury Office, Dr Biodun Muritala; the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Mrs Kikelomo Bolarinwa; the Director, Local Government Administration, Mr Razaq Amodu and other seasoned facilitators.

We Must Give Adequate Information To Instil Public Confidence, SA Toke-Benson Charges Staff | AgegePulseMagazine

 

As a way of equipping its staff members with the requisite knowledge and increasing their capacity for best practices, the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA), recently held a five-day in-house staff learning and development programme on Customer Service Professional Ethics and Practices.

Toke-Benson 

The purpose of the training, according to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka, was to build a team of well-trained and dedicated staff for the Agency. 

The Special Adviser said the training provided ample opportunity for the staff of LASRERA to review and reflect on the changes being witnessed by the Agency to sanitise the Real Estate Industry towards engendering best professional practices in the sector.

LASERA Staff members 

Benson-Awoyinka said, "As a team member of LASRERA, practitioners in the sector are bound to ask us any questions, lodge complaints and make different requests from us including the general public, hence the need for us to be prepared to provide clear answers to all these enquiries as much as possible. This is one of the benefits of this in-house training".

She emphasised the need to follow the template of a customer-friendly approach for effective delivery of the Lagos T.H.E.M.E.S. Agenda, especially the "Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy" pillar, under which the activities of the agency was conceptualised. 

In her words: "As representatives of this Agency, we must give adequate information needed to instil public confidence in our activities. We must maintain positive disposition when dealing with Real Estate Practitioners and the general public".

Expressing optimism that the training session will further build the ability of participants to drive the present administration's vision, the Special Adviser maintained that the agency has a mandate to safeguard and protect investments of stakeholders in the sector. 

One of the facilitators at the training session, Mr. Nduka Mba-Uzoukwu, who spoke on Customer Service Excellence, opined that sustaining the State Government's goals in service delivery would ensure a great experience for the stakeholders in the State's Real Estate Market.

He averred that customer experience across all service points must be excellent, adding that emotions must be guarded when dealing with stakeholders to achieve the Agency’s desired vision. 

In the same vein, the Chief Executive Officer, Customer-Focused Company Ltd, Mrs. Ope Wemi Jones, spoke on Sales and Customer Service training for the customer service representatives, while the Managing Consultant, Canadian Software Development Company, Mr. Akinyele Oladeji, explained the importance of LASRERA’S registration portal. 

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#ForAGreaterLagos

AMBODE HOSTS 11-YEAR-OLD HYPERREALIST ARTIST, PROMISES HIM EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT

Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday hosted an 11-year-old hyperrealist artist, Kareem Waris Olamilekan who drew a stunning portrait of French President, Emmanuel Macron in just two hours on the spot during the President’s visit to the new Afrika Shrine in Lagos.

Governor Ambode, who hosted the artist alongside his parents, teachers and instructor, promised to give him educational support, as well as help to nurture his talent to become a great artist later in life.

The Governor also pledged to support Waris’ instructor, Adeniyi Adewole Wasiu, who is said to have an Arts Academy, Ayowole Academy of Arts, where he trains young artists.

Briefing journalists after the Governor hosted the artist at Lagos House in Alausa, Ikeja, Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Steve Ayorinde said the development was basically to appreciate and encourage the young hyperrealist and as well to assure him of the readiness of the State Government to give him the needed support.

According to Ayorinde, “You would recall that Waris was one of the star attractions during President Macron’s visit to Afrika Shrine. Before painting the President and presenting the portrait to him, Waris had become a household name thanks to the special story done by a media house.

“So, the Governor has invited him and his parents to come and meet him and because the Governor is interested in his education and if you like the welfare of his parents, His Excellency has promised to assist just like he did to the Footprint of David boys who had a special performance at the State House during the Children’s Day.

“So, the Governor is interested in his school. We are happy that Waris is a product of a public school and you could see that the Principal of his school is here and she is happy. The Governor has also acknowledged the contribution of Waris’ mentor, Adewole who is here and because he also has a Arts Academy that inspired and produced Waris, His Excellency the Governor thinks that that Arts Academy should flourish and he is going to also support him, his career and what he is doing,” Ayorinde said.

The Commissioner added that since the works of the young artist became public knowledge, the State Government had taken special interest in his case, saying that the objective of government was to ensure good education and training for Waris to become a great artist later in life.

“The Ministry of education has been involved from day one since the story was reported but our Ministry (Tourism, Arts and Culture) would also be monitoring Waris. He is already in JSS1; he is talented as an artist but then that is not the only subject that he would be taking.

“We want him to be a successful well-rounded student first and foremost and of course as an artist. It is a long haul thing but first good education and let him continue as a good artist,” the Commissioner said. 

Responding, Waris said he was extremely thrilled to meet with President Macron and Governor Ambode, saying the development was a life-changing moment for him.

“I am very happy and excited. I thank Governor Ambode for this opportunity. Now, I want to study my arts very well; I want to be a good artist, great artist in the world,” Waris said.

Also speaking, Waris’ parents, Mr and Mrs Mutiu Kareem said the feat attained by their son was a significant turning point in their lives, and thanked the State Government for the huge support they have so far received.

“I thank God for this. What has happened in my life through my son is something I never thought would happen to me but this is a miracle. I am so happy. I want to thank Governor Ambode for all he has done for us and also my son’s instructor who trained him, as well as his teachers and mother,” Kareem said.