Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to civil service reforms, improved worker welfare, and expanded investment in career development, as he formally opened the 47th National Council on Establishments (NCE) meeting in Kano. Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Ibrahim, the governor said a strong, professional civil service remained central to effective governance and national development.
He stated that hosting the NCE underscored confidence in Kano’s longstanding administrative heritage and its significant contributions to Nigeria’s public service.
“Kano has produced distinguished civil servants who have risen to top federal positions, and their achievements demonstrate our history of discipline, integrity, and administrative excellence,” he said.
Governor Yusuf outlined a series of initiatives designed to boost productivity and enhance service delivery. These include revitalising the Local Government Service Commission to guarantee predictable promotions and full access to benefits for grassroots workers, expanding training opportunities, implementing merit-based career progression, providing modern working tools, and accelerating digital transformation across the state’s civil service.
He also disclosed that the state had cleared more than half of the N48 billion pension and gratuity backlog inherited from previous administrations, assuring that the balance would be settled soon.
“This intervention reaffirms our commitment to ensuring that no retired worker leaves the service with uncertainty or unfulfilled entitlements,” Yusuf said.
Highlighting Kano’s pioneering role in several national programmes, he cited initiatives such as the Primary School Feeding Programme, May Day celebrations, Science and Technical Schools, and the Agency for Mass Education. He commended the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoS), Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, for her reform-driven leadership and for strengthening collaboration between federal and state civil services.
Earlier, Walson-Jack emphasised that the success of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda depended on an efficient, professional, and accountable civil service. She called for deeper cooperation and harmonised standards across federal and state institutions to build a future-ready public service.
She praised Governor Yusuf for his “worker-friendly policies and unwavering support for national development initiatives,” adding that Kano’s hospitality reflected its commitment to national unity and service excellence.
Walson-Jack also commended the Head of Service of Kano State, Alhaji Abdullahi Musa, describing him as “an outstanding and highly valued member of the Body of Heads of Civil Service of Nigeria.” She reiterated that the NCE remained the highest decision-making forum on establishment matters, crucial for shaping workforce competence, institutional reforms, and service delivery nationwide.
“The Civil Service is the backbone of governance, the stabilising force of the state, and the engine through which policies translate into real impact for citizens. No nation rises above the quality of its public service,” she said.
