The Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, has called on Public Affairs Officers (PAOs) to elevate their roles within the state government by embracing proactiveness and actively seeking opportunities to add significant value.
The Commissioner delivered this charge during an interactive session held today with PAOs in the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) of the State Government at the Lagos Television in Ikeja.
Emphasising the need for PAOs to move beyond reactive tasks, Mr. Omotoso stressed the importance of taking initiative and proactively contributing to the government’s objectives. He specifically highlighted the crucial role of PAOs in boosting the visibility and engagement of government social media platforms through consistent and dynamic content.
“It’s time to be the driving force,” Mr. Omotoso stated. “Make yourselves indispensable by anticipating needs, innovating solutions, and consistently delivering impactful work that resonates with your principals and the public.”
He explained the importance of proactive communication in showcasing the government’s achievements and initiatives, urging officers to leverage their roles in promoting the State’s developmental strides and responding appropriately to public concerns.
Assuring the Public Affairs Officers of support from the parent Ministry, Omotoso encouraged the staff to come up with challenges encountered in the course of duty, just as he stated the need to be professional at their beats.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olumide Sogunle underscored the significance of the gathering as a platform to address the challenges faced by PAOs in their daily operations. He also encouraged the officers to hone their interpersonal skills to enhance their effectiveness in serving their principals and the wider governmental system.
According to him, the interactive session provided a valuable opportunity for Public Affairs Officers to voice their concerns and share insights into the obstacles hindering their performance. “This open dialogue allowed for a direct exchange with the Commissioner and Permanent Secretary”, he stated.
Mr. Sogunle advised the officers to take advantage of the open-door policy of the leadership of the Ministry to offer suggestions on expanding the social media influence of Lagos State Government among Internet users.
He acknowledged the positive professional conduct of many members of the staff at their duty posts, noting, however, that there is still a lot of room for improvement.
His words: “As public affairs personnel, we must have people and relationship management skills in all we do at our duty posts.”
The Permanent Secretary also disclosed that the Ministry would fashion out ways of resolving issues that affect the performance of Public Affairs Officers but solicited a more coordinated approach to ensure that social media engagement of officers becomes visible and impactful.
In his remarks, the Director of Public Affairs Department, Mr. Adesegun Ogundeji urged the information officers to reciprocate the confidence shown by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu through the recent addition of new personnel to their ranks. He called on them to dedicate themselves to excellence and consistently strive to exceed expectations.
The meeting offered many officers the opportunity to present ideas that would aid their work, just as they implored the Ministry to reward staff identified for outstanding performance.
