Lagos prosperity driven by public servants’ dedication — Hamzat

By Olasunkanmi Akoni Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, has attributed the state’s economic prosperity and development to the dedication, professionalism and contributions of its public servants. Hamzat spoke on Saturday while leading more than 4,000 civil and public servants in a fitness walk organised by the Lagos State Government as part of activities marking the 2026 Public Service Week.

The exercise, which began at the Adeyemi Bero Auditorium, Alausa, Ikeja, featured aerobics and a brisk walk through Alausa and adjoining communities, promoting physical fitness, healthy living and workplace wellness among public sector employees. The deputy governor was accompanied by the Head of Service, Mr. Bode Agoro, and the Principal Secretary to President Bola Tinubu and former Lagos State Head of Service, Mr.

Hakeem Muri-Okunola. Also in attendance were members of the Body of Permanent Secretaries, heads of extra-ministerial departments and offices, as well as civil and public servants from the mainstream public service, commissions and local governments across the state. Participants commenced the exercise with aerobics sessions before embarking on the fitness walk around the Alausa-Ikeja communities.

Addressing the participants, Hamzat commended the workers for their impressive turnout, stressing the need for public servants to prioritise their health and wellbeing. He said the exercise reflected the health and dignity component of his PROMISE campaign, particularly the first pillar, People First agenda. “They say health is wealth. So, a healthy Lagos is a wealthy Lagos, and you are an important part of that promise,” he said.

The deputy governor also acknowledged the strategic role of the public service in implementing government policies and programmes, describing the civil service as the machinery of government. According to him, without a functional and effective civil service, government activities and development initiatives would suffer. “Without a functional and effective civil service, nothing gets done,” Hamzat said, urging public servants to take pride in their contributions to governance.

He noted that public servants were responsible for documenting government decisions and ensuring their implementation. Making reference to the ongoing electioneering period, Hamzat also responded to comments made during a political debate the previous day, where the civil service was reportedly identified as one of the challenges confronting Lagos State.

He disagreed with the assessment, insisting that public servants remained indispensable to the delivery of government policies and development programmes. Hamzat further stressed the need to extend the benefits of economic prosperity to more households and businesses across the state. Earlier, Agoro disclosed that the exercise attracted more than 4,000 participants, expressing optimism that subsequent editions scheduled for January and February would record even greater participation.

He commended the commitment of the workforce and reiterated the importance of collective involvement in activities that promote staff wellbeing. Also speaking, Muri-Okunola described public servants as key implementers of government policies and programmes. He commended their contributions to Lagos State’s development and urged them to sustain their commitment to effective service delivery.

The fitness walk formed part of activities lined up by the Lagos State Government to promote a healthier workforce, strengthen camaraderie among public servants and reinforce the importance of staff wellbeing in effective service delivery.