The Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, has described the Lagos State Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation (OTCI) Public Service ‘Ideas Day’ initiative as an attestation to the importance of the growth mindset being championed by the State Government.
Muri-Okunola spoke at the maiden edition of the event held in commemoration of the Y2022 Innovation month as celebrated all over the world.
Recognising and rewarding officers with the three best creative and innovative ideas that proffered solutions to challenges experienced within the State, the Head of Service averred that the event further brought to the fore the need for civil servants to be constructively engaged in order to contribute their quota to making Lagos a 21st-Century Economy and a Smart City.
He acknowledged the role of OTCI in deepening the implementation of Governor Sanwo-Olu’s T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda as over 200 creative ideas were received from civil servants across the different Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government.
The HoS said: “The inclusion of creativity and innovation into the State Public Service was a deliberate attempt by the Government to provide a platform through which challenges within the service can be identified and solutions proffered either for the benefit of a particular MDA or the benefit of the entire State”.
While commending the Office of Transformation, Creativity and Innovation for making it possible for the State Government to recognise and appreciate creative and innovative civil servants who had distinguished themselves at their respective duty posts, Muri-Okunola also acknowledged Governor Sanwo-Olu’s passion for creativity and innovation within the public service, especially for creating an enabling environment for ideas to grow.
Also speaking at the event, the Director-General of OTCI, Mr. Toba Otusanya, stated that the Office remains committed to its mandate of creating an enabling environment for creativity and innovations where government workers can express creative ideas that could improve service delivery in the State Public Service.
He recalled the introduction of the Growth Mindset Development programme by OTCI has further entrenched the culture of creativity and innovation within the Lagos State Public Service.
The Director-General congratulated the six civil servants, who had unique concepts and emerged as finalists in the creativity and innovative competition aimed at transforming the civil service into a world-class organisation that can be benchmarked by any government globally.
The three officers with the best ideas or solutions are Nurudeen Kehinde Anibaba (Chief Accountant, Ministry of Finance) who emerged first; Dr. Mariam Kanyinsola Daramola (Senior Medical Officer, Ministry of Health) who came second and Adeyemi Asorona (Senior Programme Analyst, Alimosho General Hospital) who was the third-place winner.
The highlight of the event was the recognition of three top government officials as Transformational Leaders. The awardees include the MD/CEO of Lagos Island Maternity, Dr. Olufemi Omololu; the MD/CEO of Randle General Hospital, Dr. Madewa Adebajo and the Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Mrs. Abiola Seriki-Ayeni.
Responding on behalf of the three Transformational Leaders, Mrs. Abiola Seriki-Ayeni noted that there are several transformational leaders within the Lagos State Public Service, stating that the recognition accorded them was a mere representation of many other exemplary leaders within the Lagos State public service.
She appreciated the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, as well as the Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, for the platform created for all public servants to contribute their quota to the development of the State.
