Governor Dauda Lawal has urged newly appointed Permanent Secretaries in Zamfara State to abide by the Public Service Rules, financial regulations and other relevant laws in the discharge of their duties.

The Governor gave the charge on Thursday during the swearing-in of five new Permanent Secretaries into the Zamfara State Civil Service at the Grand Chamber of the Government House in Gusau.

The newly appointed Permanent Secretaries are Ahmad S. Zamfara, Nasiru Halilu Anka, Mu’azu Jibril Guraguri, Adamu Abdullahi Kanoma and Sani Muhammad Shinkafi.

The Chief Judge of Zamfara State, Justice Kulu Aliyu, administered the oath of office to the appointees, who pledged allegiance to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and swore to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the country.

Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Lawal reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening government institutions and ensuring that the public service has the leadership, competence and discipline required to support the state’s development aspirations.

He congratulated the new Permanent Secretaries, describing their appointments as a significant career milestone and a demonstration of confidence in their experience, abilities and readiness to assume greater responsibilities.

“Becoming Permanent Secretaries is more than personal advancement. As senior administrative leaders, your decisions and conduct directly affect government performance and the welfare of the people we serve,” he said.

The Governor noted that Permanent Secretaries play a central role in government by providing administrative leadership, ensuring institutional continuity, offering policy advice and implementing approved programmes.

He added that they were also responsible for maintaining discipline, coordinating their respective establishments and ensuring that public resources were used for their intended purposes.

“Our administration came in with the determination to improve governance, strengthen institutions and advance a development agenda that would meet the needs and aspirations of the people of Zamfara.

“We continue with our reforms to improve public administration and the delivery of essential services, with the civil service as the vehicle through which government decisions are translated into results,” Lawal said.

The Governor further urged the appointees to align their activities with his administration’s priorities and ensure that policies were supported by proper planning, realistic implementation strategies, effective supervision and continuous assessment of results.

He also charged them to maintain constructive and professional relationships with commissioners and other political officeholders.

According to him, while political leaders are responsible for setting policy directions, career civil servants provide the institutional knowledge, technical advice and administrative capacity required to implement them.

“These roles complement each other, and the effectiveness of the government depends on mutual respect,” he said.