Governor Lawal gave the charge on Thursday during the official swearing-in ceremony of the new Permanent Secretaries held at the Grand Chamber of the Government House in Gusau, the state capital.
The governor urged the appointees to uphold the rule of law, maintain discipline, integrity and professionalism, and ensure that public resources entrusted to them were used judiciously for their intended purposes for the benefit of the people.
In a statement issued on Thursday by his spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, Lawal said the appointments were a reflection of the confidence reposed in the officers’ wealth of experience, competence and ability to take on greater responsibilities in the service of the state.
“I extend my sincere congratulations to the five officers taking this oath today. Your appointments mark a career milestone and reflect confidence in your experience, abilities, and readiness for greater responsibility,” the governor stated.
The newly sworn-in Permanent Secretaries are Ahmad S. Zamfara, Nasiru Halilu Anka, Mu’azu Jibril Guraguri, Adamu Abdullahi Kanoma and Sani Muhammad Shinkafi.
The oath of office was administered by the Chief Judge of Zamfara State, Justice Kulu Aliyu, as the appointees pledged allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and commitment to upholding the Constitution and the laws of the land at all times.
Governor Lawal described the position of Permanent Secretary as central and strategic to the operations of government, noting that the officers occupy a very sensitive position that involves administrative leadership, quality policy advice, institutional continuity and effective implementation of approved government programmes and policies.
“Becoming Permanent Secretaries is more than personal advancement: as senior administrative leaders, your decisions and conduct directly affect government performance and the welfare of the people we serve,” he said.
The governor reiterated that his administration remained fully committed to strengthening government institutions, improving public administration and ensuring effective delivery of essential services to the people across all parts of Zamfara State.
“Our administration came in with the determination to improve governance, to strengthen institutions and to advance a development agenda that would meet the needs and aspirations of the people of Zamfara,” Lawal said.
He added that the state government was continuing with far-reaching reforms aimed at improving public administration and service delivery, stressing that the civil service remains the engine room through which government policies and decisions are translated into tangible results for the citizens.
The governor also urged the new Permanent Secretaries to align their duties and operations with the administration’s rescue and development priorities through proper planning, realistic implementation strategies, effective supervision and regular assessment of performance.
“Proper planning, realistic implementation strategies, effective supervision and continuous assessment of results must support policies and programs,” he emphasized.
Lawal further called on the appointees to maintain cordial and professional working relationships with commissioners and other political officeholders, emphasizing the need for mutual respect and cooperation between political leaders and career civil servants for effective governance.
“Political leaders set policy; career civil servants provide the institutional knowledge, technical advice, and administrative capacity to implement it. These roles complement each other, and the effectiveness of the Government depends on mutual respect,” the governor added.
