Lagos State Office of the Auditor-General recently held a comprehensive two-day training programme aimed at enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of its workforce. The training, themed: “Attitudinal Change and Performance Improvement”, was organised for officers on Grade Levels 1 to 12 and designed to equip participants with best practices to improve individual and team performance in the discharge of their duties.
In his welcome address, the Acting Auditor-General of the State, Dr. Muyiwa John Adetola expressed gratitude to the Governor for supporting capacity-building initiatives with funding for the in-house training. He emphasised the importance of training at a time like this when the office will soon be having an exit meeting. He stated that there is a need to apply knowledge acquired to enhance public service delivery, underscoring the training’s role in fostering a positive work culture to boost overall performance.
“I crave your indulgence to maximise the knowledge garnered at this training, ask questions where you don’t understand and deploy such knowledge into practice so that you can be instrumental to the progress of the Office”, he appealed.
Topics covered during the training included understanding public service rules, emotional intelligence, attitudinal change for improved performance, and defining roles for quality service delivery. The facilitators were seasoned professionals drawn in-house and familiar with the terrain, contrary to the use of consultants, and are expected to impart organisational behaviour insights and practical strategies for personal and professional development.
The Director of Welfare Matters, Office of Head of Service, Kayode Richard Ogbeh, one of the facilitators at the training, harped on training as a continuous process to periodically refresh workers’ memory.
Some of the participants expressed their appreciation to the State Government for the training, noting that it gave them the needed motivation and a deeper understanding of how their attitudes and actions influence performance and the Office’s objectives. They viewed the training as a pivotal step towards instilling a culture of continuous improvement and excellence within the Auditor-General’s Office.
It must be noted that the Office plans to conduct follow-up sessions to monitor progress and ensure sustained implementation of the training outcomes. The training, held at the Lagos State Chamber of Commerce and Industry between July 9 and 10, 2024, provided a valuable opportunity for participants from various departments to learn, unlearn, and relearn essential skills for effective public service delivery.
