Kwara state government has conducted a two-day workshop for commissioners, permanent secretaries, and directors in the state, in a move to strengthen good governance, effective leadership skills, and accountability in public service delivery.
The workshop organised by the office of the Head of Service in collaboration with Triumph Communication was held at the Wingate Hotel, Ilorin, the state capital.
Declaring the workshop open, the acting Head of Service, Dr Olufunke Shittu, said that the workshop was designed to hone existing skills of the governor’s aides by equipping them with contemporary tools and techniques for effective decision-making and leadership in alignment with global best practices
“It was also designed to enhance collaboration between the political and administrative heads for seamless implementation of government policies and programmes; and expose us to global best practices in public administration and ethical leadership, reinforcing the need for transparency and accountability, which the present administration is known for”, she said.
The HOS, who said that the present administration recognised good governance and effective leadership as bedrocks of sustainable development and efficient service delivery, commended Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq for his commitment to capacity building.
Themed, ‘Effective Governance and Leadership Skills’, she said that the workshop is relevant in the current dynamic environment.
“As Honourable Commissioners and Permanent Secretaries, we form the core of policy formulation and implementation within our respective Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
“Our roles require a blend of political acumen and administrative expertise to navigate the complexities of modern governance,” the HoS said.
In his lead presentation as one of the resource persons, Professor Emmanuel Ojo of the Political Science department of the University of Ilorin, said that effective governance and leadership skills are key to dividends of democracy.
Prof. Ojo, who is a former chief of staff to the former Oyo state governor, also highlighted some of the qualities expected from the participants to include: loyalty/competence, daily information, a sense of spatial development, being a servant leader, closer to their constituency, Iconic/legacy project, flair of data/empiricism, listening ear.
The university don also urged the participants to always imbibe the habit of thinking out of the box when it comes to solving societal problems. “Daily, the government is confronted with new challenges that were never envisaged before”, he said.
Professor Lambe Kayode Mustapha, a Professor of Mass Communication at the University of Ilorin, also presented a paper on “Effective Communication: A Brief for Top Government Officials”.
In his remarks, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, represented by his Senior Adviser and Counsellor, Alhaji Saadu Salau, urged the participants to deploy the knowledge gained to advance the good and effective governance in the state.
