Segun Awofadeji in Gombe
Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has sworn-in 19 newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, with this development as the largest single appointment of Permanent Secretaries in the history of the state.
While performing the swearing-in ceremony at the International Conference Centre, Gombe yesterday, the governor said the latest appointments brought to 55 the number of Permanent Secretaries appointed by his administration over the past seven and a half years, alongside more than 100 directors elevated into the senior administrative cadre of the state civil service.
He said the appointments were part of a broader effort to strengthen the institutional capacity of government, address manpower gaps and build a professional civil service capable of sustaining development beyond his tenure.
A major highlight of the governor’s address was his disclosure that his administration is preparing for a massive recruitment exercise into the state civil service, following the establishment of an accurate manpower database through the biometric verification system.
Governor Yahaya said he had already directed the Head of Civil Service to work with the State Civil Service Commission to conduct a comprehensive manpower needs assessment across ministries, departments and agencies to determine existing gaps and the number of personnel required.
He said the exercise would pave the way for fresh recruitment before the expiration of his tenure on May 29, 2027.
According to him, the biometric attendance and verification system, which attracted criticism when introduced, has since demonstrated its value by providing the government with reliable data on the actual workforce, while helping to tackle ghost workers and absenteeism and saving the state billions of naira.
The governor said the reforms had also created the necessary foundation for a more rational and needs-based approach to recruitment.
He explained that since assuming office, his administration had made civil service reform and institutional strengthening a priority, citing the establishment of the Bureau for Public Service Reforms as another key intervention aimed at improving efficiency, accountability and service delivery.
Beyond manpower and institutional reforms, Governor Inuwa Yahaya pointed out workers’ welfare as a central component of his administration’s civil service policy.
He cited the prompt payment of salaries, implementation of the minimum wage at the state and local government levels, regular promotions and payment of pension and gratuity liabilities as evidence of the government’s commitment to the welfare of workers and retirees.
On gratuity obligations, the governor disclosed that his administration had paid more than N33 billion in gratuities over the past seven and a half years, with about 70 per cent of the liabilities inherited from the previous administration.
He announced that another tranche of gratuity payments would be made before the end of September 2026, expressing confidence that the government would clear the outstanding gratuity backlog by the first quarter of 2027.
Yahaya said the government is determined to leave behind a civil service that is more professional, digitally accountable, adequately staffed and capable of responding effectively to the needs of citizens.
On the selection of the new Permanent Secretaries, the governor said the process was designed to ensure competence, merit and equitable representation.
He explained that senior directors from the state’s local government areas were considered, with their qualifications, experience and service records subjected to scrutiny. Written examinations were also conducted to test candidates’ general knowledge and Information and Communication Technology competencies.
He added that two of the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries were drawn from outside the conventional state civil service structure, with one from the Federal Civil Service and another from academia to bring additional administrative experience, institutional linkages and research-oriented perspectives into the state bureaucracy.
The governor charged the new Permanent Secretaries to see their appointments as a solemn responsibility rather than a personal achievement.
“You are the ambassadors of the civil service and of your respective communities. Your appointment is not a personal achievement alone; it is a trust reposed in you by the people of Gombe State.”
He urged them to discharge their responsibilities with integrity, accountability, discipline and diligence, warning that his administration would not tolerate corruption, indiscipline, dishonesty or abuse of office.
The governor said with his administration entering its final phase, the focus would be on consolidating ongoing reforms, strengthening institutions and ensuring that the gains recorded over the years endure beyond the life of the present administration.
Earlier, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi, commended Governor Yahaya for his purposeful leadership that had consistently prioritised professionalism, competence, accountability and institutional development.
Njodi assured the governor of the continued commitment of the public service to supporting his administration’s reform agenda and development programmes.
He congratulated the new Permanent Secretaries and urged them to be accessible, responsive and innovative in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Speaking on behalf of the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, Musa Mohammed Babaji expressed appreciation to the governor for the confidence reposed in them and pledged that the appointees would justify the trust through diligence, loyalty, professionalism and commitment to effective public service.