You are under intense public scrutiny, Abiodun tells cabinet members

Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun yesterday told the newly-constituted cabinet members to brace up to the challenges of their new offices as they are under public scrutiny. Abiodun, who gave the charge at an orientation programme organised for commissioners and special advisers in his office in Abeokuta, the state capital, said a lot of burden would be on them to be above board and morally upright.

The governor charged the cabinet members to be role models, manage expectations and join him in advancing the goals of even development across the state, as they are now public servants and not mere representatives of their towns or local councils. He said they should not be found wanting in character, as they will come under intense public scrutiny and people would want to probe every of their actions and inactions.

Abiodun, who reminded his appointees that their conduct and utterances would now be thoroughly looked at differently from when they were not commissioners and special advisers, stressed that as worthy partners and anchors of the bureaucratic structures upon which the programmes and policies of his administration would be built upon, urged them to forge a cordial and seamless working relationship with the civil servants.

“You are now public servants and have joined the league of politically exposed people. Your conduct, utterances and public personality will now come under intense public scrutiny. So, be guided accordingly.“To achieve optimally, you will need to work with and regard the Ogun State public servants as partners and anchors of the bureaucratic structures required to deliver on our programmes and policies.

“You (appointees) will find in Ogun State public servants the most dedicated, efficient and committed professionals. They are the inheritors of the proud legacies of the Ogun State public service. So, with the combination of political appointees, who are best breed and the public servants that rank top in the country, the stage is now set for a new Ogun State of our collective dreams,” he said.

The governor, who described the newly-assembled executive council members as the most star-studded council in the country, said that he would provide the right leadership as the captain of the team.He said that each of the cabinet members was chosen based on their track records and on the basis that they would contribute immensely to building the future of the state, adding that the new cabinet members must all come on board with a mindset of team work that would “generate a new and higher momentum.”