‘Greater Lagos’: Sanwo-Olu   urges collaboration, inaugurates Omotoso, Abayomi, 35 others as Commissioners, Special Advisers

*Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State swears-in 37 new Commissioners and Special Advisers, urging them to do their best to surpass the expectations of Lagosians with his administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S development agenda

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State  Wednesday, September 13, 2023, swore in 37 new Commissioners and Special Advisers (SAs), charging them to engage collaboratively and work together to build on the successes recorded in the first four years of the current administration in office.

ConsumerConnect reports the newly inaugurated State Executive Council,  has a blend of politicians and technocrats with 29 male and eight female.

The new team also has  18 returning members of the immediate past cabinet members and 19 new names.

Sanwo-Olu, in his address at the swearing-in ceremony of the State Executive Council, held in Adeyemi Bero Auditorium at Alausa-Ikeja, urged the Commissioners and Special Advisers to do their best to surpass the expectations of Lagosians.

The Governor noted the new Commissioners and Special Advisers had been carefully and painstakingly chosen.

He said: “They are, by any measure, some of our best brains, not just in Lagos State, but right around the country.

“These are men and women who can and will hold their own anywhere in the world.”

Sanwo-Olu also stated  that “they are emblems of what Lagos State is all about – a ‘Centre of Excellence’.

“Lagosians should, therefore, rejoice in their selection and be expectant of quality service and performance in the months and years ahead.”

He further said: “The task of this new cabinet is clear. It is to build on the successes of our administration’s first four years in office.

“It is to take our people closer to our dream of ‘a Greater Lagos’.

“The expectations of our people have never been higher than they are right now. Doing your best to meet them is, therefore, not an option.”

Roll call of New Commissioners, Special Advisers

The 37 cabinet members comprise 23 Commissioners and 14 Special Advisers.

The Commissioners are: Lawal Pedro, SAN (Justice and Attorney-General), Bolaji Dada (Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation), Akin Abayomi (Health) Tokunbo Wahab (Environment), Moruf Akinderu Fatai (Housing), Gbenga Omotoso (Information and Strategy), Ibrahim Layode (Home Affairs), Mobolaji Ogunlende (Youths and Social Development), Dayo Alebiosu-Bush (Waterfront Infrastructure), Abisola Olusanya (Agriculture), Gbenga Oyerinde (Special Duties), Toke Benson-Awoyinka (Tourism), and Osiyemi Oluwaseun (Transportation).

Others are Tunbosun Alake (Innovation, Science and Technology), Mr. Afolabi Ayantayo (Establishment, Training and Pension), Kayode Bolaji Roberts (Local Government Affairs), Mosopefoluwa George (Economic Planning and Budget), Olumide Oluyinka (Physical Planning and Urban Development), Abayomi Samson Oluyomi (Finance), Folashade Ambrose-Medem (Industry, Trade and Investment), Jamiu Alli-Balogun (Basic Education), Akinyeri Bankole Ajigbotafe (Wealth Creations) and Tolani Sule Akibu (Tertiary Education).

The Special Advisers are: Sola Giwa (Transportation), Rotimi Fashola (Agriculture), Abiola Olowu (Commerce, Industry and Investment), Olajide Babatunde (eGIS), Idris Aregbe (Tourism), Oreoluwa Finnih-Awokoya (Health), Adekunle Olayinka (Works and Infrastructure), AbdulKabir Opeyemi Ogungbo (Taxation and Pension), Bola Olumegbon (Central Business District, CBD), Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu (Environment), Afolabi Abiodun Tajudeen (Political Education and Civic Engagement), Barakat Odunuga-Bakare (Housing), Yekini Nurudeen Agbaje (Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs), and Iyabode Oyeyemi Ayoola (Central Internal Audit).

‘Your work must be excellent in every ramification,’ says Sanwo-Olu

The governor reminded the new Commissioners and SAs: “It is the least you will be expected to do. Lagos is the Centre of Excellence; your work must be excellent in every ramification.

“Working together, carrying the people along, keeping your feet on the ground, and ensuring that every decision you take has the best interest of our people at the heart of it, are the surest ways to succeed.

“May God guide you in the effective discharge of your onerous responsibilities.”

Referencing the initial rejection of some Commissioner-nominees by the Lagos State House of Assembly (LSHA), and purported ill-feelings in some quarters in the process, Sanwo-Olu dismissed such, and said “this system demands collaboration, and a willingness to give and take without rancour.”

He stressed, “that is what the Executive and Legislature of Lagos State, in the past few weeks, have fully demonstrated in arriving at this event….

“I thank the Right Honourable Speaker and all members of the Lagos State House of Assembly for their diligence, cooperation and contribution.

The governor, therefore charged the Commissioners and Special Advisers to understand “this spirit of cooperation and collaboration with the Lagos State House of Assembly is one that you must continue to build on. The people of Lagos State demand and expect the best.”

According to him, achieving this requires every one of them to reach out, engage, and collaborate.

“It requires you to have the humility to listen and to learn; the humility to consult widely and to consider well-meaning advice; and the humility to recognise that we all win or lose together. I demand and expect no less from you all.”

On implementation of T.H.E.M.E.S development agenda

Governor Sanwo-Olu as well stated that his administration had achieved a lot in its first tenure through the T.H.E.M.E.S development agenda.

He assured Lagosians that the second term of office would be focused on building and completing enduring legacy projects in Transportation, Health and Agriculture.

This effort is aimed at opening up more economic and developmental opportunities for the citizens of the state.

The governor urged Lagos residents to maintain and take ownership of the structures and public assets the current  administration has built in in the cosmopolitan state.

He also applauded all stakeholders, party leaders and legislative arms for their support and collaboration.

Cabinet members laud Lagos Governor for appointments

Speaking on behalf of the newly-inaugurated cabinet members, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy, appreciated Governor Sanwo-Olu for finding them worthy of the honour to serve the Government and people of Lagos.

Omotoso pledged the newly-appointed Commissioners and Special Advisers would fulfill their mandates by working with Sanwo-Olu on the journey to ‘Greater Lagos’.

Among several dignitaries who graced the swearing-in ceremony of the 37 Commissioners and SAs Wednesday are Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu,  First Lady of Lagos State; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat and his wife, Oluremi; Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake; Senators Oluranti Adebule and Wasiu Eshinloku-Sanni; Lagos State Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola; Chief of Staff, Mr. Tayo Ayinde; members of the Governance Advisory Council (GAC), led by its chairman, Prince Tajudeen Olusi; Lagos State All Progressives Congress Chairman, Pastor Cornelious Ojelabi; members of National and State Assemblies, Permanent Secretaries, traditional, religious and party leaders, among others.

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