Gombe Governor Swears in 19 Permanent Secretaries, Announces Plans for Fresh Civil Service Recruitment
Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has sworn in 19 newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, describing the exercise as the largest single appointment of Permanent Secretaries in the history of the state.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at the International Conference Centre in Gombe, where the Governor said the latest appointments had brought the total number of Permanent Secretaries appointed by his administration over the past seven and a half years to 55.
He added that more than 100 directors had also been elevated into the senior administrative cadre of the state civil service as part of efforts to strengthen the workforce and improve public service delivery.
According to a statement by the Director-General, Press Affairs, Ismaila Uba Misilli, the appointments form part of the administration’s broader civil service reform aimed at strengthening institutional capacity, addressing manpower shortages and building a professional bureaucracy capable of sustaining development beyond the current administration.
A major highlight of the Governor’s address was the announcement that the state is preparing for a major recruitment exercise following the establishment of an accurate manpower database through biometric verification.
Yahaya said he had directed the Head of the Civil Service to work with the State Civil Service Commission to conduct a comprehensive assessment of manpower requirements across ministries, departments and agencies.
He explained that the exercise would identify existing vacancies and determine the number of personnel required, paving the way for fresh recruitment before the expiration of his tenure on May 29, 2027.
The Governor said the biometric attendance and verification system, which initially attracted criticism, had proved useful by providing reliable data on the state’s workforce, tackling ghost workers and absenteeism, and saving the government billions of naira.
He said the reforms had also provided the foundation for a more transparent, rational and needs-based recruitment process.
Yahaya further cited the establishment of the Bureau for Public Service Reforms as another major intervention introduced by his administration to improve efficiency, accountability and service delivery within the state civil service.
The Governor also emphasised workers’ welfare as a key component of his administration’s civil service policy, while stressing that the selection of the new Permanent Secretaries was based on competence, merit and equitable representation.
He urged the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries to regard their elevation as a responsibility to the people rather than merely a personal achievement.
Yahaya charged them to demonstrate professionalism, integrity and dedication in the discharge of their duties, stressing the importance of a competent and responsive civil service to the state’s development.
Speaking on behalf of the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries, Musa Mohammed Babaji expressed appreciation to the Governor for the confidence reposed in them.
He pledged that the appointees would justify the trust through diligence, loyalty, professionalism and a strong commitment to effective public service.
Gombe Governor Swears in 19 Permanent Secretaries, Announces Plans for Fresh Civil Service Recruitment