The Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) on Tuesday commenced a high-impact training programme for 120 Directors of Administration and Human Resources from the Lagos State Public Service.
The capacity-building initiative is focused on enhancing performance and driving excellence in service delivery across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
Delivering the keynote address, the Director General of ASCON, Mrs. Funke Adepoju, described the initiative as both timely and transformative. She commended the Lagos State Government for what she termed “a bold and historic investment in human capital.”
“The decision to retool 120 of the State’s finest Directors at ASCON is a flagship example of how deliberate investment in people can catalyse institutional transformation. This cadre holds immense strategic potential in advancing governance reforms,” she said.
Adepoju noted that the five pillars of the training – Strategic Planning, Talent Management, Performance Management, Employee Relations, and Learning & Development – are not mere concepts, but critical tools for driving reform, accountability, and innovation.
“These pillars are enablers of change. Your departments are not on the periphery – you manage the people who execute government mandates. Your effectiveness is directly tied to service delivery outcomes,” she emphasised.
She further explained that the programme had been carefully curated to be immersive, practical, and competency-based, designed to equip the Directors not just with knowledge, but with demonstrable leadership skills to navigate an evolving governance landscape.
Themed “Retooling for Excellence: The Strategic Role of Administration and Human Resource Managers – Focusing on the 5 Pillars of HR in the Lagos State Public Service”, the programme is aimed at reinforcing the backbone of the public service.
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In his remarks, the Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Bode Agoro, who was represented by Mrs. Aina Ololade, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Waterfront and Infrastructure Development, said the training reaffirms the State Government’s unwavering commitment to continuous professional development of its workforce.
“This programme is a testament to our administration’s vision of a dynamic, efficient, and people-centered civil service,” he said.
Also speaking, Mrs. Sunkanmi Oyegbola, Permanent Secretary, Public Service, Office of the Head of Service, urged participants to embrace the opportunity to lead with renewed purpose.
“This is the time to reengineer the system. This is the time to rise and build the Lagos of our collective dreams,” she charged.
Participants described the training as timely and impactful. Mr. Niyi Oladipupo, HR Manager at the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, expressed gratitude to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for the opportunity.
“We are grateful for the Governor’s vision and support. This training will undoubtedly strengthen our capacity to lead change in our respective MDAs,” he said.
In his remarks, Mr. Bamidele Eniayejuni, ASCON Director of Studies, said the programme was specially designed to equip the Directors with the tools needed to thrive in a fast-changing public sector environment.