Ogunlewe, New Lagos HOS, Takes Charge

LAGOS, May 25, (THEWILL) - The newly appointed Lagos State Head of Public Service, Prince Adesegun Olushola Ogunlewe formally took charge as he promised to ensure fairness and impartiality in discharging his official responsibilities in the context of the constitution.

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) performed the swearing-in of the new head of service few hours ago at the State Executive Council meeting, where he charged him to the path of his predecessors who brought dynamism in the state public service.

Ogunlewe, who was Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Establishment and Training until his present appointment, becomes the sixteenth Head of Service of Lagos State since 1967. He served as Permanent Secretary in the Civil Service Commission and Public Service Office

Speaking at the function, Governor Fashola said the choice of Ogunlewe was from a crop of very efficient and dedicated men and women in the state public service who are equally competent to serve in the same capacity most efficiently and effectively.

The governor explained that he dwelt on the progress "we have made since 1999 and one of such progress highlights is that each time there is a vacancy to be filled in the Public Service, it creates a problem of choice as we have more than one choice.

"It is a welcome problem. It demonstrates that the Service is manned by competent, efficient and dedicated career Civil Servants who are capable of holding any leadership position in the Service at any time," Governor Fashola added.

Fashola praised other contending members of the Body of Permanent Secretaries who did not do anything to influence his choice of the new Head of Service, urging them to throw their weight behind the new head of service in order to promote good results.

Fashola added: "I had cause to occasionally meet some of them to discuss other pressing matters of State and to their credit; they never in any way tried to influence the process of the appointment. Our discussions were extremely professional.

"I am extremely proud to be a leader of a Government that has such men and women of high integrity who believe in the institution that they have built and are confident in the ability that it will work for them. This is the institution of the Public Service that our new Head of Service now inherits", the governor said.

Giving his acceptance speech, Ogunlewe pledged "to provide the kind of leadership that would sustain the seamless symbiotic relationship among the key players in the Public Sector Governance in line with acceptable standards and international best practices."

"I know this appointment places on my shoulders a lot of responsibilities coupled with expectations from the teeming population of the state, the membership of the state civil service and even other sectors from outside the State.

I therefore wish to re-state my unalloyed loyalty and give a statement of assurance that I will not misplace the confidence reposed in me by this appointment," Ogunlewe said.