In line with his resolve to cut down on the cost of governance, Nasir El-Rufai, governor of Kaduna State, is pruning ministries in the state service from 19 to 13. To this end the governor has sacked 20 permanent secretaries.
Similarly, El-Rufai, has approved the appointment of Thomas Gyang as Special Adviser, Budget Monitoring and Price Intelligence Unit (BMPIU).
In a press statement signed by Samuel Aruwan, the special assistant to the governor on media and publicity, the sack is to streamline the number of ministries from 19 to a leaner 13 to free up resources to be used for providing schools, hospitals, roads and other public goods.
With this decision, the surviving ministries are Justice, Agriculture and Forestry, Commerce, Industry, Local Government and Chieftaincy, Youth, Sports and Culture, Environment and Natural Resources, Women Affairs and Spcial Development, Water Resources, Health and Human Resources, Education, Sceince and Technology, Budget and Planning, Finance, Works, Housing and Transport.
The government had at inception declared its resolve to cut costs, drive efficiency, improve service delivery, and restructure its agencies.
The statement said, “To ensure that the number of permanent secretaries is properly aligned with the new structure, there will be only 13 permanent secretaries for the 13 ministries”
The statement said that, “five departments will be headed by permanent secretaries and they are the Public Service Office; the Bureau of Establishments; Political and Economic Affairs; Cabinet and Security Services and General Services. This will bring the total number of permanent secretaries in the civil service to 18.
“The governor has conveyed his appreciation for the services the departing permanent secretaries have offered the state, and he has wished them the best in their future endeavours.
“The retired permanent secretaries are, Isa Ismail, Information Zaria, Hassan Mohammed Deputy Governor’s Office Birnin-Gwari, Ben Maitamaki Chieftaincy Affairs Kudan, Abubakar S. Abdullahi Education Chikun.
Ja’afar Sa’idu Works and Transport Soba, Joshua Gambo Garba State Pension Bureau Lere, Marcus H. Baba Teachers’ Service Board Chikun, Madinatu Shehu, Science and Technology Igabi, Sani Aliyu Kudan, Office of the Head of Service Kudan, Rev. Felix Musa Billy, Bureau of Religious Affairs (Christian Matters) Kaura, Ladi E. Pati Special Duties Kachia Dennis A. Wahal, Local Government Pension Kauru, Ahmad Abdu Zaria, Environment & Natural Resources Zaria.
Others areAdamu D. M. Kagarko, Water Resources, Kagarko; Lawal M. Usman, Protocol Dept Kaduna North; Ishaya Yem Parah, Rural & Community Development Jaba; Adamu Atama, Public Service Reforms, Kagarko; Ya’u Garba Jumare, SUBEB Sabon-Gari; Suleiman Sambo Lands and Surveys, Makarfi; AbdurRahman Mahmoud, Bureau of Religious Affairs (Islamic Matters) Kaduna South.
Gyang graduated in 1978 with a second-class upper degree in Quantity Surveying from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. A member of the Nigeria Institute of Quantity Surveyors, he has worked as a professional quantity surveyor for Government, private organizations and individuals over a period of 35 years.
The new special adviser worked with E. D’Alberto & Giampoli Ltd (an Italian construction firm) where he rose to the position of deputy managing director. He has also led many quantity surveying and construction consultancy firms. Until his appointment, Gyang was a partner at the Akioganik Partnership, a multi-disciplinary consultancy firm.
The governor has also named a new chairman for the state’s Local Government Service Commission, Ibrahim Muhammad Aminu, the Wazirin Zazzau.
The appointment of Ezekiel Baba Karik as Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has also been announced.
A former vice-chairman of Kaduna South Local Government, Karik was an organising secretary in the campaign organisation of APC guber aspirant, Isah Ashiru, prior to serving as special assistant to Barnabas Yusuf Bala, after his emergence as the running mate to El-Rufai. He holds postgraduate diplomas in management studies and business administration.
