Lagos commences Saturday work in key ministries tomorrow

By Innocent Anaba

LAGOS—As Lagos State government commences skeletal services in some key ministries and parastatals on Saturdays, beginning tomorrow, members of the public have been advised not to deal with unauthorized officials or touts in carrying out any business transaction during weekend operations in their own interest.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lateef Ibirogba and the Head of Service, Adesegun Ogunlewe  gave the warning yesterday, at a joint media briefing on the breakdown  of the weekend services to the public, at Alausa, Ikeja.

Key ministries involved in the pilot phase are; Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Ministry of Transportation and Land Bureau.

According to Ibirogba, designated government officials would be at their duty posts at their various ministries to attend to enquiries, complaints, site inspection and other related services, saying the development was geared towards enhancing government’s service to the people.

He said: “We have adequate staff on ground to attend to members of the public who wants to do genuine business in their own interest.”

Ibirogba said the latest development was aimed at meeting the needs of some citizens during weekends, noting that the state had worked out adequate allowances for the workers for the extra hours of service.

Speaking  on the arrangements to compensate the affected workers, Ibirogba said government had put in place all the necessary arrangement to cater for the welfare of the affected workers, saying “We will not have come here, if we had not done our home work well. We want to make sure that those people who may want to come here on Saturday are given needed attention. Officials of the banks where certain payment will be made will also be on ground to render their service.”

Earlier Ogunlewe, said:” To demonstrate our commitment in this regard and deliver on this mandate, the state government has resolved to render skeletal services on Saturdays starting from Saturday 2nd March, 2013 between the hours of 10.00 a.m. and 2.00p.m.