The Lagos State Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Mrs Ajibola Ponnle, says the state’ s Public Service will soon be producing the first forensic dentist in the whole of West Africa.
Ponnle made this known on Wednesday in Ikeja during the Year 2020 Ministerial Press Briefing to commemorate the first year in office of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
She said the massive investment of the state government in the area of human capacity development of its workforce was already attracting global attention.
‘The state public service will be producing the first forensic dentist in the whole of West Africa soon,” the commissioner said.
She said the state government sponsored one of its staff from the Ministry of Health to study at Masters level, in Legal Medicine and Forensic Dentistry outside the country in order to bridge an identified gap in the state public service.
“Once the staff completes his course of study, he will be the first forensic dentist (new skill and area of specialisation) in West Africa and this points to the massive investment in human capital development that the present administration is embarking on,” the commissioner said.
Ponnle said the Lagos state government was committed to building a 21st workforce that would deliver dividends of democracy to Lagosians across every area of human needs.
She said that this was by directing its training and capacity development programmes to both generic and technical areas of competency.
According to her, one of the notable achievements and innovations to training programmes under the administration of Sanwo-Olu is the introduction of on-line learning programmes starting with Webinar series.
Ponnle said this ensured that capacity of the entire workforce were developed even during the period of state-wide lockdown order.
The commissioner disclosed that within the past few months that the Webinar initiative started, 11 different series had been held, 10 Generic and one job specific for teachers.
‘There was also a Virtual Launch of the pilot of the Lagos State Learning Management System (LMS) with over 10,000 members of staff uploaded, giving access to over 500 training courses.
‘The pilot Phase of Executive Coaching Programme for Executive Council Members was also launched with 30 per cent of cabinet members enrolled.
‘The initiative was in partnership with International Coaching Federation accredited coaches, whereby cabinet members are offered one-on-one coaching sessions to provide support in developing their personal, professional and political aspirations,” she said.
Ponnle said the launch of the Learning Management System and the various Webinar series were aimed at achieving a paradigm shift from learning being an event to being a continuous process.
She said that this would ensure a workforce that was equipped with relevant skills, knowledge and competencies to deliver the dividends of democracy to the teeming population of the state.
