Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode increased the budget for training and re-training of civil servants in the state from N149million in last year’s budget to N1billion this year to ensure the state has a public service that is well structured, organised and staffed with highly motivated and proactive officers with relevant skills.

Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Akinsola Benson Oke, disclosed this in Lagos at a leadership and change management workshop for 50 directors in the state, which ended yesterday.

He said the state’s funding for training was not only increased significantly, but also a learning and development template was adopted, based on knowledge gap identified and need to bridge such gaps.

Oke added that the intension is to continually sponsor more staff to local and international seminars, workshops and conference to acquire the necessary cutting edge and best practices and experience needed towards a functional, proactive and secured megacity, hoping that the budget for training would be further increased.

He said mindful that the mindset of the workforce is key to service delivery, the present administration is highly committed to developing leadership for creativity and innovation through building, leading and sustenance of a performing team, of which the directors are critical mass.

In a related development, Apparently to sentisises the public on the need to be carried along on the imperative of budget planning and its implementation, the government recently held the Year 2017 Budget Consultative Forum for Lagos East in Epe Township.

Speaking at the event, ‎the Commissioner in charge of the ministry, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade, noted that the essence of the event was to let the public have an idea of its half of the year budget performance and what next year would look like.

According to Ashade, Lagos was unable to get the required federal revenue due to dwindling oil revenue and negative effects of militants’ activities in the Niger Delta.

He, however, assured that the Ambode administration is committed to complete the ongoing projects in Epe, including the urban renewal proje‎ct, relocation of Okobaba Saw Mill to Agbowa and Mile 12 Market to Imotan, completion of Orile-Badagry Expressway, etc.

Ashade said government was also committed to supporting the private sector by providing enabling environment for their business to thrive and provide employment to the teeming youths.

Earlier, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Abayomi Kadri, noted that the government chose the policy of ‘Peoples Budget’ to ensure that Lagos ‎works for all.

Kadri added that government’s expectation is that significant participation in the budget preparation process by every organisation and bodies, including traditional rulers, community and religious leaders, would engender confidence in the developmental objectives of the administration.

The Oloja of Epe, Oba Kamarudeen Animashaun, represented by one of his chiefs, assured government of the support of the people for all its good intentions.

Community leaders, businessmen and women, artisans, public officers, among others, attended the forum, organised by the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget.