The Adamawa State Governor in Northeast Nigeria, Amadu Fintiri has sworn in eight new Permanent Secretaries in the State Civil Service.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at the government house Yola.
Governor Fintiri while congratulating Permanent Secretaries said he intends to further strengthen the Service for more effective and efficient service delivery.
He said the new Permanent Secretaries were selected through a rigorous process that entails passing a high standard of Examinations conducted by the reputable Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Badagry, Lagos.
”The introduction of Examinations as a process for selection of candidates for appointment as Permanent Secretaries by my administration is a deliberate effort to ensure that only the best are appointed. As the engine room of government, I want to ensure that Permanent Secretaries and, indeed, the Civil Service have the capacity and commitment towards helping us to deliver on our mandate of uplifting the living standard of our people.
”Rightly or wrongly, some people see the Civil Service as a dumping ground for job seekers of varying categories. However, I am determined that to rise to the top in our Civil Service, you must be among the best with the capacity to command the respect of others including those in the private sector or the academia,’‘ he added.
The Adamawa State Governor over the last four years, has been able to elevate merit above other considerations in appointing Permanent Secretaries.
The governor at the ceremony stressed that his administration has eliminated nepotism and other parochial tendencies.
”I have been told that one of those who will be sworn in today said that until last week, he had never been to the Government House. Maybe he was joking. But maybe he was also sincere since it is now possible to become a Permanent Secretary without knowing or needing the influence of anyone on the corridors of power,” Fintiri said.
This has engendered confidence and boosted the morale of Civil Servants in the state since anyone who works hard has a realistic chance to rise to the top.
Within the limits of available resources, the governor said he will continue to accord priority to training, retraining and welfare of Civil Servants.
He commended the Head of Service and ASCON for maintaining the high standards and credibility of the Examination process in the country.
”For those of you that will be sworn – in today, you are coming into office at a critical moment when I have just been re-elected for another term of four years as Governor. We must not fail our people or lower the bar in service delivery. You must hit the ground running,” he emphasized.
He charged them to be dedicated, transparent, accountable and loyal.
