Funmi Ogundare
The Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), Monday, lauded the Kano State Government for its sustained investment in human capacity development, saying that the state has emerged as one of Nigeria’s most intentional investors in building a competent and future-ready public service.
Director-General of ASCON, Dr. Funke Adepoju, gave the commendation at the opening of its 25th workshop and examination for non-administrative officers seeking promotion to managerial positions in the Kano State Civil Service.
The two-week programme, organised by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of Kano State in collaboration with ASCON, is aimed at preparing officers for higher responsibilities in the public service.
She described the state’s commitment to training and retraining of civil servants as a long-term investment that would strengthen governance and improve service delivery.
“When a governor deliberately invests in the capacity of civil servants, he is strengthening the engine room of government, a long-term investment in both today’s administration and the future of the state,” she said.
According to her, ASCON’s Kano operations trained 804 officers in the last one year, while 322 officers are currently participating in the ongoing programme, a development, she said, underscores the state’s recognition of capacity building as an integral part of governance.
She stressed that beyond technical competence, effective public service requires leadership, accountability, communication skills and sound judgement, urging participants to take the exercise seriously.
Declaring the workshop open, Governor Abba Yusuf, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ibrahim Farouk, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to capacity development, describing it as a key pillar of his governance agenda.
He charged officers aspiring to managerial positions to demonstrate leadership, strategic thinking and a sound understanding of public service rules and ethics.
“The quality of leadership you provide will significantly influence service delivery, staff productivity and institutional effectiveness,” the governor said.
Also speaking, the Head of Civil Service of Kano State, Hajiya Bilkisu Maimota, urged participants to make the most of the opportunity and remain committed throughout the programme.
The opening ceremony attracted members of the State Executive Council (SEC) and senior public service officials, who delivered goodwill messages in support of the governor’s vision for a more competent civil service.
Among them were the Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, Dr. Isma’il Aliyu Danmaraya; Commissioner for Planning and Budget, Hon. Musa Suleman Shanono; Chairman of the Kano State Civil Service Commission, Hajiya Ladidi Garko; Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kano State Council, Comrade Kabiru Inuwa; and the Commissioner for Education, Hon. Ali Bukar Makoda, represented by the Permanent Secretary.
They described the workshop as a practical demonstration of the administration’s commitment to building a skilled and efficient workforce capable of driving sustainable development in the state.
