Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, says his administration has paid more than N33 billion in gratuities over the past seven years, with about 70 per cent of the liabilities inherited from the previous administration.
The governor disclosed this on Thursday in Gombe during the swearing-in ceremony of 19 newly appointed permanent secretaries.
Yahaya also announced that another tranche of gratuity payments would be made before the end of September 2026, while pledging to clear the remaining backlog by the first quarter of 2027.
He said the government was committed to leaving behind a more professional, digitally accountable and adequately staffed civil service capable of responding effectively to citizens’ needs.
The governor also disclosed plans for a major recruitment exercise into the state civil service before the end of his tenure on May 29, 2027.
According to him, the recruitment will be guided by a comprehensive manpower needs assessment being conducted across ministries, departments and agencies.
Yahaya said he had directed the Head of Civil Service to work with the State Civil Service Commission to identify existing manpower gaps and determine the number of personnel required.
He said the state’s biometric verification and attendance system, which initially attracted criticism, had helped establish reliable data on the actual workforce, tackle ghost workers and absenteeism, and save the state billions of naira.
The governor said his administration had appointed 55 permanent secretaries in seven years, while more than 100 directors had been elevated into the senior administrative cadre.
He described the appointments as part of efforts to strengthen government institutions, address manpower shortages and build a sustainable civil service.
Yahaya charged the newly appointed permanent secretaries to uphold integrity, accountability, discipline and diligence in the discharge of their responsibilities.
“You are the ambassadors of the civil service and of your respective communities,” he said, warning that his administration would not tolerate corruption, indiscipline, dishonesty or abuse of office.
The governor said that as his administration enters its final phase, it would focus on consolidating reforms, strengthening institutions and ensuring that its achievements are sustained beyond May 2027.
