Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called on Heads of Service ,HoS, of the six Southwest states to develop policies to attract and retain top talents in the public sector.
The Governor also urged the HoS to develop practical strategies to enhance service delivery across the geo-political zone.
Sanwo-Olu made the call yesterday in Lagos at the opening of the 2025 Strategic Meeting of Heads of Service of the Southwest states.
The event was organised by the Development Agenda for Western Nigeria ,DAWN, Commission.
It had the theme, “Deepening Professionalism in the Civil Service Towards Improved Service Delivery”.
The event brought together top civil servants in the zone to deliberate on ways to strengthen governance and public administration.
Sanwo-Olu was represented by his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat.
He emphasised the importance of adopting policies which would attract and retain top talents in the public sector while promoting ethical conduct and leveraging technology to enhance government operations.
“As a region with a historical reputation for setting the pace in governance, education and social development, we must, once again, lead the way in building a world-class civil service capable of addressing present needs and future challenges”, he said.
The Governor, who described the theme as timely, urged that the civil service must continue to evolve to meet citizens’ rising expectations in an increasingly dynamic environment.
“Professionalism in the civil service is the bedrock of efficient governance.
“It speaks to competence, integrity, accountability, responsiveness and a culture of continuous improvement.
“It is no longer enough to do things the old way”, Sanwo-Olu said.
He emphasised the need for innovation, technology and data-driven practices to drive service delivery.
The Governor said that the state had continued to prioritise civil service reform in line with its THEMES Plus Agenda.
