From Abubakar Rabilu, Gombe
The Gombe State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Barr. Sani Ahmed Haruna, has described the state’s local government administration as one of the best-performing systems in Nigeria.
Haruna stated this on Tuesday while declaring open a three-day in-house training for officers of the ministry’s Inspectorate, Monitoring and Evaluation Department at the Education Resource Centre, Gombe.
He said the training was designed to strengthen the capacity of officers saddled with the responsibility of inspecting, monitoring, evaluating and supervising activities at the local government level.
The commissioner, who is also the Wakilin Arewan Gombe, said the effectiveness of the Inspectorate Department was critical to sustaining the gains recorded in local government administration across the state.
According to him, about 80 per cent of the ministry’s activities are directly linked to the functions of the department, making professionalism, diligence and commitment essential among its officers.
He urged the participants to take the training seriously and ensure that the knowledge and skills acquired were applied to their daily responsibilities.
“The success of the ministry largely depends on the effectiveness, commitment and professionalism of its officers,” he said.
Haruna commended the facilitators as well as former senior officials of the ministry who participated in the programme by sharing their wealth of experience with the officers.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Shuaibu Ibrahim, also urged the participants to remain attentive and translate the lessons from the training into improved performance.
He said continuous capacity building was necessary to enhance professional competence and strengthen the administration of local governments across the state.
Similarly, the outgoing Director of Local Government and designated Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Musa Idi Batari, commended the ministry’s management and staff for sustaining effective supervision, monitoring, inspection, verification and follow-up of local government programmes.
Former Permanent Secretaries and Directors of the ministry, including Mr Maigari S.T. Yari, Alhaji Abubakar A. Ahmed, Alhaji Abdulrahman M. Yaranduwa and Alhaji Muhammad Bappayo Abdulmunin, shared their experiences with the participants.
They attributed the progress recorded in Gombe’s local government system to discipline, dedication, professionalism and effective service delivery, urging the officers to sustain the standards.
The training featured sessions on the roles and functions of the ministry and Inspectorate Department, budget cycle, report writing, monitoring and evaluation, as well as practical exercises and interactive discussions.
In his vote of thanks, the Deputy Director of Local Government, Mr Umar Kuna, described the programme as a significant investment in human capital, saying it would enhance the capacity of officers and contribute to improved service delivery at the grassroots.