Lagos has staff strength of 100,443 —HoS

LAGOS State government on Tuesday disclosed that it has a staff strength of 100,443, even as it said it also created employment opportunities indirectly through various projects awarded as contracts across the state.

The State Head of Service (HoS), Mrs Olabowale Ademola, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Alausa, Ikeja on the achievements of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in his two years in office.

The HoS also clarified issues on the recent reports that some retired permanent secretaries were forcefully ejected from government quarters, saying no permanent secretary was ejected as being reported.

“No permanent Secretary was ejected as claimed in that report. What happened was that the said retired PS has written to this office seeking for assistance to extend her stay by a week and this was oblige her,” she said.

“In 2003, the office of the Head of Service issue temporary letters of allocation of staff quarters to 20 officers who opted to fund the completion of the allotted flats that were at various level of completion then, opposite Maruwa Gardens now MKO gardens,” Ademola said.

She said the allottees were accorded 10 years of moratorium upon which their housing allowance was being deducted from their salary, adding that those who had retired before the end of the moratorium were given the privilege to stay until the completion of that period.

She recalled that upon completion, they were served several notices to vacate the property, but said some of the officers refused to comply with the directives and took the government to court.

“No permanent secretary was ejected. We went ahead to retrieve the quarters in a civilised manner. We had tried to negotiate, but they refused,” she said.

Ademola informed that the government had a platform through which loans were given to public servants for the purpose of purchasing land, building residential houses and renovating existing accommodation.

She informed that the staff loan facilities were increased from N50m to N100million adding that a total of 1,087 staff has benefited from the loan scheme.