Gov. Zulum Orders Immediate Transfer of All Staff of Pension Board,Salaries Section Ministry of Finance For Alleged Fraud

By Sadiq Abubakar, The Nigerian Voice, Maiduguri
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Borno State Governor, Prof. Bababgana Umara Zulum has ordered the Secretary to the State Goverment,(SSG), Alh. Usman Jidda Shuwa and the Head of Seevice (HOS), to immediately transfer by replacing all staff of the Borno State Pension Board and Salaries Section of State Ministry of Finance from the senior to junior (top to bottom) as a result of alleged fraud and mismanagement of public funds by staff of the pension board and salaries discovered recently during the payments of pensiins and gratuities of retired civil servants.

The governor also directed the SSG and HOS to select their replacement from the state civil service to perform the job better.

Zulum handed down the instruction today, Thursday while speaking at the swearing in ceremony of 14 new Permanent Secretaries in the Borno State Civil Service .

Prof. Babagana further said,when he took over the mantle of leadership in the state, he promised to reinvigorate the civil service for greater efficiency and optimal productivity as well as improving the institutional and human capacity to work and handle effectively the issues of inclusiveness, transparency and accountability in the civil service.

According to the governor, the permanent secretaries are the engine room for the transformation agenda. As the technical heads of their ministries they are expected to spearhead the implementation of all policies and programs of government.

Among other things, he said the permanent secretaries are equally expected to ensure probity and prudence in the public finance management, staff discipline and efficient management of human resources to achieve organizational goals.

Prof. Zulum said, "governance in a crisis situation is very difficult and daunting but inspite of this,on assumption of office, he was able to launch with full force a development agenda for quick economic recovery, job creation, revitalize the health and education sectors and restore hope for the people."

He also thanked the labour leaders for their understanding and patience to enable us carry out the reform process gradually and assuring better working conditions for the civil servants as demonstrated by moving his office to the state secretariat.

According to him ,all the permanent secretaries were selected based on their competence, track record and working experience as well as quota system and urged them to discharge their duties without fear or favour adding that they should all be on their toes for the task ahead.

Earlier in his vote of thanks on behalf of all the newly sworn permanent secretaries, Alh. Tahir Mohammed thanked his excellency for finding them worthy of the job and assured him that they will work assiduously to meet his expectations and justify the confidence reposed in them .