The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has said governments and employers who fail to prioritise the welfare of the people will ruin their stewardships and the trust of the citizens.

He also said that the state government was committed to training its workforce and developing human capital.

According to a statement, the governor stated this at the opening session of a workshop on the theme, ‘Vital interpersonal skills for pension administrators’, organised by the Civil Service Pensions Office of the Lagos State Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions.

The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Akintola Benson, said the state government was one of the most notable that believed in this ideal.

He stated that the dedication of the state government to the welfare of its workforce during and after service could not be overemphasised.

Benson said the governor had mandated his ministry to embark on a continuous training of the staff in order to ensure the delivery of top quality services to the officers of the civil service.

The training, he noted, was dedicated to the need to inculcate and sharpen vital interpersonal skills that officers of the Civil Service Pensions Office required to properly and fully serve pensioners and retirees of the state civil service.

He said, “In addition to fulfilling my duties of ensuring the adequate exposure of the civil service to knowledge on an ongoing basis, the activities that have been carried out signify and underscore the governor’s commitment to all matters relating to the welfare of staff, retirees and pensioners in Lagos State.

“In aiming to call attention to and aid the development of the vital interpersonal skills that are vital for pension administrators, our trainings will focus on the skills that are not learnt in schools but are important though rarely visible. These are the skills that are less tangible, harder to quantify, challenging to teach and, sometimes, difficult to describe.