SANWO-OLU TO NEW ADVISERS: ‘YOUR TASKS ARE DEMANDING, LAGOSIANS DESERVE YOUR BEST’

 

 

  •Governor Appoints 7 Cabinet Members for Improved Governance, Service Delivery

 

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, appointed seven members into the State Executive Council to revitalise the administration’s effort towards improving good governance and service delivery.

 

The new members were appointed into the cabinet-ranked of Special Advisers. They were sworn in at an event held in the State Banquet Hall in Alausa.

 

Five of the appointees are newcomers, who filled in vacant positions, following the voluntary resignation of previous occupants. Two, who previously resigned from the cabinet, were returned to take back their positions.

 

Sanwo-Olu said his government considered seamless continuity in governance important, as he charged the new cabinet members to hit the ground running in delivering more electoral promises of the administration to the residents.

 

The Governor said the new cabinet appointment further reinforced the established tradition of diversity and inclusiveness, stressing that the choice of the appointees was informed by capacity, accomplishments, commitment and proven track record of hard work and professionalism in their previous endeavours.

 

Sanwo-Olu said: “Today, we are bringing in new Special Advisers to replace those who voluntarily left the State’s Executive Council in previous months to pursue their political ambitions. As cabinet members, you join a small but privileged class of people whose ideas and decisions go a long way towards impacting the lives of millions of Lagosians on a daily basis.

 

“Your appointment is a testament to your capacity, your accomplishments and your track record of hard work, commitment, dedication and professionalism in your private and public endeavours. Your role, as you might have imagined, is a demanding one, requiring intense levels of hard work and dedication. You are expected to hit the ground running, especially considering that we are in the final year of our first term in office.”

 

The Governor reminded the new cabinet appointees of the need to get themselves familiarised with their assigned portfolios in order to sustain and improve on the tempo of their predecessors, noting that their entry into the Council came in the last lap of the administration’s first four-year mandate when the State was consolidating on the programmes across the T.H.E.M.E.S areas.

 

Sanwo-Olu praised the State’s legislature, led by Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, for granting an accelerated approval for the appointment of the new members.

 

 The Governor said: “Let me remind you all that this appointment must not be seen as an opportunity for self-service. While you discharge the responsibilities that will be assigned to you, you must imbibe our culture of transparency, accountability, fairness and value for money. You must show exemplary leadership as the necessary virtues needed to achieve the greatness we desire for our State and to deliver the prosperity our people deserve.”

 

Sanwo-Olu assigned portfolios to the new cabinet members, appointing a former member of the eighth Assembly in the State’s legislative arm, Hon. Sola Giwa as Special Adviser on Transportation.

 

Until his new appointment, Hon. Giwa was the Senior Special Assistant in Central Business District (CBD) to the Governor.

 

The Governor reappointed Princess Aderemi Adebowale as Special Adviser on Civic Engagement, the position she previously occupied. 

 

Also, Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka was reappointed as Special Adviser on Housing.

 

Other appointees are Dr. Olajide Babatunde (Special Adviser on e-GIS and Planning Matters), and Engr. Abiola Olowu (Special Adviser on Commerce and Industries), Mr. Robert Bolaji (Special Adviser on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs) and Mr. Olufemi Martins (Special Adviser on Tourism).

 

Benson-Awoyinka, who delivered the acceptance speech on behalf of the new appointees, appreciated the Governor for his faith in the appointees’ ability, pledging to work with Sanwo-Olu to deliver the Lagos of citizens’ dream.

 

PICTURES: GOV. SANWO-OLU SWEARS IN SEVEN NEW MEMBERS OF THE STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AT LAGOS HOUSE, ALAUSA, IKEJA, ON THURSDAY, 04 AUGUST, 2022

 

Princess Aderemi Adebowale (Office of Civic Engagement); Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka (Housing); Dr. Olajide Babatunde (E-GIS and Planning Matters); Hon. Sola Giwa (Transportation); Engr. Okanlawon Olowu (Commerce and Industries); Barr. Femi Martins (Tourism, Arts and Culture) and Mr. Robert Bolaji (Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs) taking their Oath of Office as Special Advisers in the State Executive Council, presided by Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday, 4th August 2022.

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat watches as  Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu presents the Oath of Office to Princess Aderemi Adebowale as Special Adviser, Office of Civic Engagement during the swearing-in of seven new cabinet members at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday, 4th August 2022.

 

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat watches as Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu presents the Oath of Office to Hon. Sola Giwa as Special Adviser on Transportation, during the swearing-in of seven new cabinet members at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday, 4th August 2022.

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu presenting Oath of Office to Mrs Toke Benson-Awoyinka as Special Adviser on Housing during the swearing-in of seven new cabinet members at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday, 4th August 2022.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu presenting Oath of Office to Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka as Special Adviser on Housing during the swearing-in of seven new cabinet members at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday, 4th August 2022.

Special Advisers, Barr. Femi Martins (Tourism, Arts and Culture); Engr. Okanlawon Olowu (Commerce and Industries); Princess Aderemi Adebowale (Office of Civic Engagement); Hon. Sola Giwa (Transportation); APC Lagos Chairman, Hon. Cornelius Ojelabi; Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs. Folashade Jaji; others Special Advisers, Mrs. Toke Benson-Awoyinka (Housing); Dr. Olajide Babatunde (E-GIS and Planning Matters) and Mr. Robert Bolaji (Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs) during the swearing in of seven new cabinet members at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday, 4th August 2022.

Don't Gag the Media, Sanwo-Olu Tells Politicians, Public Officers

 

 • As Nge Urges Journalists to Uphold Ethics, Ensure Quality Content

 

Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has urged politicians and public office holders not to gag the media, saying press freedom was important in a democracy. 

 

He made the appeal on Thursday at a workshop organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), themed: "Journalist and Digitalisation: the imperative of Good Corporate Governance" at Ikeja, Lagos State.

 

Sanwo-Olu, who was the Special Guest of Honour to declare the workshop open, said ensuring good corporate governance and self-regulation of the digital space would completely eradicate false and fake news.

 

Governor Sanwo-Olu, who assured that his administration will continue to promote Press Freedom and good corporate governance as well as enabling environment for journalists in the state, urged media practitioners to always regulate their activities in the digital space.

 

His words: “I stand with you (media practitioners) in solidarity; to say that, indeed, your profession is not just a noble one, but it’s the one that gives the general public an independent assessment; holding our governance and government accountable at all times. And so, we need to be very careful as politicians and public officers that we do not gag this profession (media) and do not unduly stifle the free press. 

 

“Our government understands and appreciates that press freedom is the way in which we can hold government accountable. But it is also the responsibility of all of us here to ensure that we understand the thin line; and also self-regulate our activities. 

 

“ I cannot agree less with the President of the NGE that says that the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission should not only be independent, it should be equipped with men of impeccable character and integrity that can work like the Oxfam of this world and indeed sanction erring people but give freedom for all of you to do your work.”

 

Governor Sanwo-Olu while stressing the need for media practitioners to self-regulate themselves, urged them to work towards the complete eradication of fake and false news. 

 

“Regarding my view about corporate governance, it is also to ensure that in the digital space we eradicate completely within the profession false news and fake news. People sometimes rush to post something without doing proper due diligence to verify what they are posting and ask themselves what damage would I do if they found out what I posted is not completely true. 

 

“You must be a bit more circumspect and know that once information is out there, you cannot retrieve it. That in itself puts a lot of professional pressure on whoever that is posting any report,” he said.

 

Sanwo-Olu also seeks continuous support from the media for his administration. “I have enjoyed working with all of you and I am looking forward to enjoying more in the remaining part of my four years tenure. And if all of you feel so compelling during the election, I will also not mind being your governor again for another tenure,” he said.  

 

Speaking earlier, the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mustapha Issa, said the media would not succumb to pressure from the government to determine the people’s right to information.

 

He said the situation where the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) that reports to the Minister of Information would also be the one to unilaterally impose fines on broadcast stations for unfavourable reports was tantamount to gagging the media.

 

The NGE President, who urged media owners to embrace good corporate governance and accountability, said the role of scrutiny of the media should not be that of the government alone, adding that the media should not be threatened.

 

Issa said digital technology has provided room for journalists to become competitive and open sources of income.

 

Also speaking, a veteran journalist and the Chairman of the occasion, Mr Lanre Idowu, said digitalization had brought more opportunities to journalism but has equally brought to the fore the need to uphold ethics, and quality content.

 

He said journalists must decide whether to embrace digital platforms or be out of business.