The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister for Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, yesterday graced the cabinet retreat organised for members of the Lagos State Executive Council and permanent secretaries.
The appearance of the two former governors of Lagos was aimed at boosting the morale of the cabinet members and to equally share experiences based on practical knowledge in the art of governance. The retreat was being held at the instance of the Lagos State government to enable cabinet members and permanent secretaries key into the policy thrust of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.
Tinubu, who served from 1999 to 2007, urged Sanwo-Olu and his team to make welfare of the people the cornerstone of the administration’s social development programmes. The APC leader reminded the cabinet members of the “difficult task” they have in hand, but challenged them to deploy their expertise for the realisation of the APC programmes for the state.
Administering the affairs of a society endowed in ethnic diversity, Tinubu pointed out, goes beyond a possession of talent. Character, the APC leader said, is key to the success of any leader at helm of affairs of any multi-ethnic society. He charged the cabinet members on teamwork, stressing that the success of the administration in its areas of priority was not negotiable. He said although Lagos still confronts some challenges in key sectors, the challenges should be converted to opportunity to drive development of the state.
Fashola, who spoke on ‘Personal Perspective on Leadership’, saluted the courage of the commissioners and special advisers to accept the roles, but added that the appointees had signed up for “tough task’’, noting that their actions must prove their appointments were well-deserved.
He noted that public office was created to solve problems facing the people and not to show off. He said the Sanwo-Olu administration must design a public communication strategy that would make citizens defend the government before becoming agitated.
The Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, who gave the vote of thanks on behalf of the Executive Council, described Tinubu as a blessing to Africa, noting that the APC national leader’s leadership impacts transcended the continent.
Sanwo-Olu who spoke earlier noted that the new cabinet members had a rare opportunity of receiving hands-on training from two most experienced and highly qualified administrators in former Governors Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola.