Commissioner Tasks Finance Managers On T.H.E.M.E.S. Agenda

 The Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Rabiu Olowo, has tasked Finance and Accounts officers of the State Government to ensure that their activities take cognisance of the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda of the present administration.

Olowo gave the charge during a three-day retreat organised for management staff of the Finance Ministry and other offices under its supervision, revealing that the forum was convened to foster a cordial working relationship among all officers of the Ministry of Finance, the Debt Management Office, DMO, and the State Treasury Office (STO).

Delivering his opening address at the programme themed “Aligning Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the Lagos State T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda”, the Commissioner emphasised the need to clearly define the goals of government during the next fiscal year such that all key players in the management of the State’s finances will understand their respective roles and take required actions respectively.

Olowo maintained that the judicious use of State resources remains very vital in achieving each of the pillars of the development agenda as enunciated in the T.H.E.M.E.S policy framework.

In his words, “the roles of finance cannot be overemphasised by any serious-minded government because every policy or decision made by the government comes with its financial implications thus making finance indispensable in achieving the goals of this present administration”.

Addressing participants at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Ganiat Abidemi Raji stated that the retreat provided an excellent opportunity to discuss emerging issues on Ministerial responsibilities as well as exchanging views on existing challenges and developmental perspectives.

While enjoining participants to relate with each other by networking and exchanging ideas that will enhance their knowledge, the Permanent Secretary noted that “The topics of discussion that will be treated during this retreat have been carefully chosen to refresh the memory of participants about their core duties and align them to key performance indicators for effective service delivery”.

Giving an overview of the retreat, the Director, Financial, Intelligence and Research, Mr. Olujimi Ige, said that the retreat will further improve communications, reporting and team building among different departments in the Ministry of Finance and also align their activities towards the T.H.E.M.E.S Agenda of the administration.

According to Ige, some of the discussions will centre on Time Management and Ministerial presentations amongst others, noting that participants from different departments would be able to integrate their activities and avoid overlapping functions after the retreat.

The Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Finance, Mr. Rotimi Olowo, also attended the event and enjoined participants to be more dedicated and committed to work with a view to impacting the lives of all residents of the State.