Lagos civil servants on Thursday accorded Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat a rousing welcome as they resumed work at the state Secretariat, Alausa on their first working day after being sworn-in.
TBI Africa said the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that civil servants at various ministries had gathered outside their offices ahead of the arrival of the duo.
Posters and banners with inscriptions such as: “A new dawn”, “Welcome”, “Now a new Lagos Begins”, were displayed at the various ministries.
The duo, on arrival, visited the Ministry of the Environment attached to the Ministry of Physical Panning and Urban Dvelopment, and Lands Bureau, at about 10.30a.m.
Addressing the workers, Sanwo-Olu charged them to rededicate themselves to service and have absolute commitment to the development agenda of the government.
According to him, civil servants play fundamental roles in the success of every administration and should be encouraged.
He urged workers to reciprocate such gesture through hard work and dedication to duty, so as to attract more interventions from the government.
“I am excited to be here this morning. We decided to come here first because of the critical arm you control here.
“The environment, the lands department, physical planning, Surveyor-General’s office, these are the critical things that people are asking us to work better on.
“So, we will from Day 1 say to Lagosians that new things should begin to happen.
“Yes, there are issues, there will be issues, there will be challenges, but out of it, looking at all your faces, you cannot all afford at this time to fail the citizens.
“So, my charge is this: whatever we know that we are not doing too well, even in the period of Ramadan, let us ask God for forgiveness.
“Let us turn a new leaf and let us be that change that we are asking for.
“I know that when we take care of you, you will take care of Lagosians. So, those are the promises I want to draw from all of you.
“I know the challenges you face, but let us begin to think and innovate how we are going to bake a bigger cake.
“Let us begin to think out of the box,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu assured the workers that issues around the minimum wage would be sorted out in earnest.
“I will ensure your take home will be taking you home, but Lagosians have to feel you from day to day, and from the way we speak to them, the way we take their records.
“Henceforth we should reflect it,” he said.
NAN reports that the Governor and his deputy thereafter toured the Secretariat.
