Sanwo-Olu said there must be efficient collaboration between them and political heads assigned to their ministries to drive programmes’ implementation.
The governor spoke, yesterday, when he declared open a two-day retreat organised for the Body of Permanent Secretaries.
He said the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic had brought changes to traditional ways of working, charging all the 57 participants to adapt themselves to the new reality and think outside the box not to slow down the wheel of governance.
He said: “Permanent Secretary is a position that comes with tough responsibilities, given the expectation from the political leadership and the citizenry. As experienced officers in the civil service, permanent secretaries must develop a framework for implementation of government’s programmes and policies. This means creating viable relationship with the political heads of their ministries.
“Most of the cabinet members, who are also professionals in their own right, may not understand the rudiment of engagement in the public service. It is the duty of the permanent secretaries to put them through and streamline the activities of the ministries in line with objectives of the government. Therefore, a collaboration between the cabinet members and civil service is necessary for better co-ordination.”
Sanwo-Olu told the participants to see their appointment as a privilege that must be embraced with humility, urging them not to be domineering in imposing their authority.
Besides, he admonished them to accord respect to public officers in lower cadres and carry them along in the activities of the ministries.
Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, said the retreat was an on-boarding process for newly-appointed permanent secretaries to learn from their older colleagues and get them equipped with ideas that will help them run the affairs of their respective ministries efficiently.
He pledged the commitment of the civil service towards achieving the administration’s development agenda.
