Abiodun to Commissioners: Be mindful of your actions, Ogun people are watching you

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun on Monday, called on members of his newly constituted cabinet to brace up for the challenges of their new offices as they are under public scrutiny.

The Governor who gave the charge during an orientation programme, organised for the Commissioners and Special Advisers in his office in Abeokuta, the State capital, reminded his appointees that their conduct and utterances would now be thoroughly looked at differently from when they were not Commissioners and Special Advisers.

The Governor said a lot of burden would be on the cabinet members and charged them to be above board and morally upright.

He also urged them 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 governments.

Abiodun warned the cabinet members 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 inaction.

He implored the cabinet members to join him as partners in progress like the civil servants who are the engine room of governance.

He stressed that as worthy partners and anchors of the bureaucratic structures upon which the  programmes and policies of his administration would be built upon, cabinet members should forge a cordial and seamless working relationship with the civil servants which he described as dedicated, efficient and committed professionals.

His words, “You (appointees) 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 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 while describing 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.

“This administration is arguably the most star-studded cabinet in the country: various expertise, different background and even vary but complementary flavours have been brought together. As the captain of this team, I want to assure you that  I will provide the right leadership for you to blossom as individual stars and for our team to record achievements that are greater than the sum of individual  accomplishments,” he said.

The helmsman added 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.

He added that the new cabinet members must all come on board with a mindset of team work that would “generate a new and higher momentum”.

The orientation program for the new cabinet members had retired Head of Service, Chief Dipo Odulate, Mrs. Modupe Adekunle and the Director, Code of Conduct Bureau in the state, Mr. Segun Rabiu as resource persons.