Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu has approved the appointment of Alhaji Sufiyanu Garba-Bena as Acting Head of Service, following the retirement of former Head of Service, Hajiya Fatima Sani-Ango.
Secretary to the Kebbi State Government (SSG), Alhaji Babale Umar-Yauri, confirmed his appointment during a briefing with newsmen in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday.
According to him, ‘for the past one week, no head of the service, it is normally done as the constitution has given the governor the power to appoint the HoS out of the permanent secretaries in the state service.
‘However, in order not to allow the office to be vacant, the governor has approved the appointment of Permanent Secretary Cabinet office, Alhaji Sufiyanu Garba-Bena, to be the Acting Head of Service, pending confirmation or appointment of the substantive head of service.’
The SSG said that the appointment was based on seniority and other criteria considered for the selection of the HoS.
He said: ‘Usually, the government looks at the Permanent Secretary that is completely blame-free and who carries the civil service alone; that has no disciplinary issue.
‘All these have been taken into consideration in the appointment of Garba-Bena,’ he said.
The Secretary charged the newly Acting Head of Service to justify his appointment by showing more dedication to his duty and carry all civil servants along.