About us

The Zamfara State Office of the Head of Civil Service is a key governmental institution responsible for managing the civil service workforce and ensuring efficient public administration within the state.

The Office of the Head of Civil Service in Zamfara State is the central coordinating body for the state’s civil service. It provides leadership, policy direction, and oversight for all civil service activities to promote effective and efficient public service delivery. The office ensures that the civil service operates with integrity, professionalism, and accountability, supporting the government’s efforts to improve governance and socio-economic development in Zamfara State.

MANDATE AND FUNCTIONS

Core Mandate

To provide leadership, coordination, and oversight for the effective functioning of the Zamfara State Civil Service, ensuring adherence to public service rules and continuous human resource development.’

Primary Responsibilities

The Office of the Head of Civil Service is the administrative nerve centre of government, responsible for maintaining an efficient, accountable, and well-motivated workforce. It ensures that the machinery of governance operates smoothly through effective policy direction,

personnel

management, and institutional reforms that uphold professionalism in public service delivery. Specifically, the office is responsible for:

1. Formulation and implementation of civil service policies and reforms:

The office designs and enforces new policies that

modernize the civil service, making it more effective, transparent, and responsive to current governance and societal needs.

• Supervision of appointments, promotions, discipline, and staff welfare: It ensures fairness and merit in hiring, promotion, and discipline of civil servants while safeguarding their welfare through proper remuneration, benefits, and conducive work conditions.
• Coordination of training and capacity building across MDAs: The office identifies training needs and organizes workshops or seminars to equip Government workers with the knowledge and skills required for improved service delivery.
• Management of establishment matters and pension administration:
It handles the structure and organization of MDAS,

determines

staffing levels, maintains service records, and ensures the timely processing of pensions and retirement benefits.

• Ensuring compliance with Government policies,
within the law, following official rules and policy guidelines to maintain discipline and uniformity in service operations.
• Driving digital transformation and e-governance initiatives: It
promotes
the adoption of technology in record

keeping,

communication, payroll management, and service delivery to make the civil service faster, more transparent, and globally aligned.

1. Advising the Governor on civil service and human resource matters:

The Head of Civil Service provides expert advice to the Executive Governor

on issues affecting the workforce, including staff management, restructuring, and reform implementation.

• Manpower planning, deployment, and utilization: It ensures that MDAs have the right number of skilled officers in appropriate roles for optimal performance and efficiency.
• Promotion of industrial harmony and labour relations: The office maintains a cordial relationship with labour unions and workers’ associations, resolving grievances and preventing disputes that may disrupt Government operations.
• Performance management and productivity improvement: It develops and monitors performance appraisal systems to evaluate the efficiency of officers, reward excellence, and identify areas for improvement across the civil service.

1. Maintenance of records and documentation: The office ensures accurate and up-to-date personnel records, which are crucial for promotions, pensions, and accountability in public service.
2. Promotion of ethics, transparency, and accountability: The office upholds integrity and discipline by enforcing ethical standards and fostering a culture of honesty and dedication in the public service.

Functions of the Office

– Strategic Planning: Developing strategic plans for the civil service that align with the overall goals of the Zamfara State government.

– Budget Management: Overseeing the budgetary allocations for civil service operations and ensuring that resources are utilised effectively.

– Public Engagement: Engaging with citizens and stakeholders to gather feedback on civil service performance and areas for improvement.

– Legislative Liaison: Working with the State House of Assembly to ensure that civil service policies comply with state laws and regulations.

– Promotion of Ethics and Integrity: Upholding ethical standards and integrity within the civil service, promoting a culture of accountability and transparency.

Current Initiatives

Under the leadership of Yakubu Sani Haidara, the Office of the Head of Civil Service may be involved in several key initiatives, such as:

– Digital Transformation: Implementing digital tools and platforms to streamline civil service processes and improve service delivery.

– Public Sector Innovation: Encouraging innovative practices within the civil service to enhance efficiency and responsiveness to citizen needs.

– Community Outreach Programs: Initiatives aimed at educating the public about civil service functions and encouraging citizen participation in governance.

The Office of the Head of Civil Service in Zamfara State, led by Yakubu Sani Haidara, is essential in ensuring that the civil service operates effectively and meets the needs of the state’s citizens. Through its various responsibilities and functions, the office aims to foster a professional, efficient, and accountable civil service that contributes to the overall development of Zamfara State

POLICIES AND STRATEGIC PLANS

Policies Implemented

Since the assumption of office of His Excellency Dauda Lawal in May 2023, the Office of the Head of Civil Service, Zamfara State, has executed a sweeping reform agenda, aimed at repositioning the state’s civil service into a dynamic, efficient and accountable institution. These policies reflect a multi-pronged approach: structural rationalisation; human-resource revitalisation; digital modernisation; transparency and accountability; and service-delivery alignment, all aligned with the Governor’s broader

developmental vision.a. Structural Rationalization: Early in his tenure, Governor Lawa approved an executive order to restructure the civil service, reducing the number of Ministries from 28 to 16 and cutting the number of Permanent Secretaries.

This rationalization was operationalized through the Head of Civil Service by re-assigning responsibilities, merging redundant units and streamlining the workforce to reduce the cost of governance and improve the repositioning of policy implementation. By simplifying administrative structures, the Head of Civil Service repositioned the service for

enhanced responsiveness.

13. Human-Resource Management and Staff Welfare: A cornerstone of the reform package was the overhaul of the appointment and promotion process. The Head of Civil Service introduced merit- based recruitment, written and ICT-based assessments for Permanent Secretaries, ensuring that key appointments were competence-driven rather than arbitrary. In the same period, substantial improvements in remuneration and benefits were implemented: salary arrears of civil servants and retirees were cleared, arrears in gratuity payments totalling over N13.6 billion were settled, and a 13th-month salary bonus was introduced. These acts of welfare reform signalled the Head Civil Service, Zamfara State’s commitment to restoring workforce morale and reinforcing staff as key drivers of service delivery.
14. Digital Transformation and e-Governance: Under the leadership of the Head of Civil Service, Zamfara State, Zamfara has embraced digital governance as a mechanism for transparency and efficiency.

In partnership with Zamfara Information Technology Development Agency (ZITDA), the state introduced biometric attendance systems, automated payroll verification, digital documentation, and e-Government platforms across ministries and agencies.

These measures have helped eliminate duplication, enhanced tracking of personnel movement, and integrated administrative processes into the online environment for prompt decision-making and audit readiness.

1. Transparency, Integrity and Accountability: The reform agenda addressed long-standing governance deficits by reorganizing internal audit functions, promoting meritocracy, and centralizing control of human-resource deployment under the Head of Civil Service, Zamfara State. The verification exercise of civil service

records ensured the elimination of irregularities while reinforcing protocol compliance. Furthermore, by reinstituting clear performance-management frameworks and linking career

progression to objective assessments, the Head of Civil Service

signaled a new era of accountability in the service.

1. Service-Delivery and Institutional Alignment: Recognising that civil-service reform must translate into meaningful outcomes for citizens, the Head of Civil Service ensured alignment of personnel policy with sectors such as education, health, infrastructure and youth

development. The merit-based staffing system complemented the Governor’s priority agenda, ensuring that the right personnel were in place across Ministries for effective programme delivery. The Head of Civil Service also prioritised supervisory oversight of parastatals, harmonised cadres, and reinforced compliance with

department-agency mandates, thereby strengthening institutional coherence.

Public Service Reform Policy (2023 – 2027) Since the assumption of office by His Excellency, Dauda Lawal, in 2023, the Office of the Head of Civil Service has embarked on a far-reaching reform policy aimed at rebuilding the state’s public service into professional, efficient, transparent, and technology-driven institution capable of supporting the government’s broader development agenda. The Public Service Reform Policy (2023 – 2027) was designed as a strategic framework to address long-standing structural inefficiencies, low productivity,

Weak accountability mechanisms, and outdated administrative systems that had hampered effective service delivery in Zamfara State. At the heart of the reform is the modernization of the civil service structure, ensuring clear delineation of functions, reporting lines, and job descriptions across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). This includes the introduction of a new organogram and scheme of service review to realign roles and eliminate redundancy while ensuring that career progression is based on merit, competence, and performance. A key pillar of the reform policy is human capital development, which emphasizes continuous training and retraining of civil servants. Through the Establishment and Human Resource Development Parastatal, the OHCS has institutionalized capacity-building programs across MDAS, focusing on leadership development, ethics, records management, ICT skills, and result-oriented administration. These initiatives are anchored on the belief that a skilled workforce is the bedrock of an efficient and accountable civil service.

The reform also prioritizes digitization and e-governance transformation.

The Office of the Head of Civil Service has taken decisive steps toward automating personnel records, payroll systems, and attendance monitoring mechanisms to reduce ghost workers, ensure accurate data, and promote efficiency in human resource management. In collaboration with the Zamfara Information Technology and Development Agency (ZITDA), the Office of the Head of Civil Service is also driving the digitalization of internal communication, record-keeping,

And administrative processes to promote paperless operations and data security.

Under the policy, ethical reorientation and discipline enforcement have been given renewed attention. The OHCS has strengthened disciplinary procedures, ensuring that sanctions and rewards are applied fairly and transparently. Regular sensitization on the Public Service Rules, Financial Regulations, and Code of Conduct is conducted to promote integrity, accountability, and professionalism among civil servants.

In the area of staff welfare and motivation, the reform policy recognizes that productivity is tied to morale. Hence, the Office of the Head of Civil Service, in collaboration with relevant bodies, has reviewed conditions of service, ensured timely promotions, and prioritized the payment of salaries and allowances.

The pension administration reform under the Office of the Head of Civil Service supervision has also been strengthened through the State and Local Government Pension Commission. The process now ensures the timely processing of retirement benefits, verification of retirees, and elimination of pension fraud through digital enrollment and biometric verification systems.

Another integral aspect of the 2023 – 2027 reform policy is the institutionalization of planning, research, and policy evaluation. The Planning, Research, and Statistics Department has been repositioned to collect, analyze, and utilize data for evidence-based policy formulation,

ensuring that the Government’s decisions are informed, measurable, and

Overall, the Public Service Reform Policy (2023 – 2027) represents a deliberate and strategic effort by the Office of the Head of Civil Service under the leadership of Yakubu Sani Haidara, mni, to reposition Zamfara State’s civil service as a model of professionalism and good governance. The reform is not just about administrative restructuring but about restoring the dignity trust in government institutions, in line with His Excellency Dauda Lawal’s vision for a “Reformed, Responsive, and Results-Oriented Public Service”.

Performance Management and Appraisal (2023 – 2027)

As part of the comprehensive Public Service Reform Policy initiated under the administration of His Excellency, Dauda Lawal, the Office of the Head of Civil Service introduced a Performance Management and Appraisal Framework aimed at enhancing productivity, accountability, and service delivery across the Zamfara State Civil Service. This reform recognizes that effective governance depends not only on well-designed policies but also on the efficiency and commitment of the workforce charged with the policy seeks to replace the old system of routine and often subjective performance assessments with a modern, evidence-based performance management structure that aligns individual outputs with organizational goals. Under this approach, every civil servant is expected to understand their role within the broader institutional objectives, ensuring that the performance of each officer contributes meaningfully to the overall mission of their MDA and the Government at large. This system allows for online submission, tracking, and evaluation of staff performance data,

ensuring accuracy, transparency, and ease of reporting. It also aligns with the broader e-governance agenda of the Zamfara State Government.

Overall, the Performance Management and Appraisal framework (2023 –

2027) embodies a shift from a process-oriented to a results-oriented civil service, where outcomes are prioritized over activities. It reinforces the principle that public service is a trust that must deliver measurable value to citizens. By linking individual accountability to institutional success, the Office of the Head of Civil Service is building a performance-driven culture that supports His Excellency Dauda Lawal’s vision of an efficient, responsive, and transformative public service.

Achievements of the Office of the Head of Civil Service (February – October, 2025)

Since the assumption of office of the current Head of Civil Service in February 2025, the Office has demonstrated exceptional leadership, administrative vision, and reform-driven commitment towards

repositioning the Zamfara State Civil Service for greater efficiency, discipline, and productivity. Guided by the transformational agenda of His Excellency, Governor Dauda Lawal, the Office of the Head of Civil Service (OHCS) has recorded several landmark achievements within a short period-reflecting a renewed culture of accountability, professional development, and institutional coherence across the State’s public service.

Among the major achievements recorded between February and October 2025 are the following:

• Redeployment of Redundant Staff: In the first week of assuming office, the Head of Service redeployed a pool of administrative officers who had remained redundant following the restructuring of MDAs. This ensured equitable manpower distribution and restored operational functionality across the service.
• Redeployment of Permanent Secretaries (March 2025): A circular was issued for the redeployment of newly appointed Permanent Secretaries to appropriate MDAs to enhance efficiency, strengthen leadership structures, and ensure optimal service delivery.
• Execution of Backlog of Promotions (2023-January 2025): Between March and April 2025, the Office successfully processed and implemented promotions for 574 officers who had been due since 2023, comprising 207 officers for 2023, 218 for 2024, and 149 for
2025, restoring motivation and fairness within the service.
• Reissuance of Circular on Mandatory Attendance of Friday Preaching Sessions (28th March 2025): The Head of Service revived the policy mandating civil servants’ attendance at the Weekly Friday Preaching Session at the Gusau Eid Praying Ground, significantly improving public and staff participation and promoting moral reorientation within the workforce.
• Connection of the OHCS to the 33 KVA National Grid Line: To address inadequate electricity supply that hampered productivity, the OHCS was connected to the 33 KVA national grid line, ensuring an uninterrupted power supply and a more conducive work environment.
• Discipline of Erring TSB Officers (21 May 2025): The Head of Service took decisive action by sanctioning officers of the Teachers Service Board (TSB) found guilty of misconduct, reinforcing accountability and discipline as core values of the public service.
• Constitution of the Zamfara State Standing Committee on Capacity Building and Workforce Development: For the first time in the State’s history, a dedicated committee was established to assess training needs, develop a capacity-building framework, and liaise with recognized institutions for the continuous professional development of civil servants.
• Participation in the Study Tour Organized by the OHCSF, Abuja (23rd – 24th June 2025): The Head of Service joined 25 other State Heads of Service on a study tour to key federal institutions to exchange ideas and deepen understanding of civil service reforms and modern administrative practices.
• Leadership of State Delegation to the 2025 Maiden International Civil Service Conference (25th – 26″ June 2025): The Head of Service led the State delegation to this landmark conference, which brought together participants from across Nigeria and abroad to deliberate on innovative ways of transforming public service performance nationwide.

1. Participation in the Annual General Meeting of AANI (28th June 2025): The Head of Service attended the Annual General Meeting of the Alumni Association of the National Institute (AANI) in Kuru, Jos, which culminated in the election of new leadership and strengthened networks for intergovernmental collaboration.
2. Attendance at a 2-Day Legislative Retreat on Nutrition Issues (24th – 25 July 2025): The Head of Service participated in a high-level retreat in Lagos focused on addressing malnutrition and enhancing policy development for nutrition-sensitive governance in Zamfara State.
3. Payment of Furniture Allowances to Head of Civil Service and Permanent Secretaries: The Office of the Head of Service successfully secured approval and payment of furniture allowances to the HOS and 24 serving Permanent Secretaries, fulfilling a longstanding entitlement and boosting morale.

• Training of 10 Female Officers at NIPSS, Kuru (12th – 18th October 2025): Ten female officers, comprising four Permanent Secretaries and six Directors, underwent a week-long Gender and Development Course at NIPSS, Kuru, enhancing women’s leadership capacity in public administration.
• Training of 10 Senior Officers at NIPSS, Kuru (20th October – 14th November 2025): Another batch of ten officers, including three Permanent Secretaries and seven Directors, participated in a Policy, Strategy, and Leadership Course at NIPSS, equipping them with modern governance and leadership skills.
• Scheduled Training of 10 Additional Officers at NIPSS (December
• 2025): A third phase of training for ten officers has been approved for December 2025, continuing the strategic upskilling of senior officials for higher responsibilities.
• Payment of Outstanding Gratuity to Retired Civil Servants: Under the coordination of the Office of the Head of Civil Service, backlogs of gratuity payments amounting to N13.5 billion were cleared, a. Category One: This category comprises 163 officers who were
• mistakenly removed
• from the payroll due to genuine
• data
• submission or administrative errors. Following due verification, His Excellency approved their reinstatement. Their reinstatement cost amounts to N13,765,132.02 monthly before and N17,879,511.94 after the implementation of the 70,000-minimum wage, with N138,921,715.60 as total arrears from February to September 2025.
• of age at the time of their appointment. Although their employment had initially been validated under the 1998 Civil Service Guidelines, which permitted recruitment from age 15, such appointments were later found to contravene the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Public Service Rules, and both local and international labour laws protecting minors from child labour.
• His Excellency, therefore, drew a clear line against such practices and directed the Office of the Head of Civil Service to commence the process of aligning the State’s employment laws and procedures with constitutional and international labour standards to prevent future violations. The reinstatement of this category carries a monthly cost of N1,509,204.37 before and N2,880,106.45 after the N70,000 minimum wage, with N21,669,949.52 as total arrears for February to September 2025.
• Category Three: This category covers 91 officers whose salaries were not reinstated because they failed to appear before the verification committee despite several extended opportunities. Their excuses included insecurity (bandit attacks, abduction), ill health, or being on study leave. However, due to the inability to verify their employment status, His Excellency declined their reinstatement.
• Reinstating them would have cost 7,046,644.72 monthly (as of February 2025) and 9,676,306.37 monthly (as of March 2025), with N74,871,789.31 in arrears for the eight-month period. Officers who claimed to be on approved study leave were directed to provide verifiable evidence to the Office of the Head of Civil Service for further investigation before any reconsideration.
• Category Four: This group consists of 438 officers whose appointments were confirmed as irregular, involving cases of
• multiple salary collections, fake computer numbers, impersonation, undue replacements, or absence from the verified employee database. His Excellency, therefore, directed the Office of the Head of Civil Service to formalize the termination of appointments of all officers who were denied reinstatement approval. The list of affected officers has since been transmitted to the Zamfara State Civil Service Commission for issuance of appropriate disengagement letters, to be forwarded to their respective MDAs. The State Ministry of Finance and the Office of the State Auditor-General were also notified for record and compliance purposes.
• The State Executive Council commended the Office of the Head of Civil Service for its meticulous execution of the verification and reinstatement process, emphasizing that the exercise has restored integrity, accountability, and fairness in the management of personnel and payroll systems across the State.