A surprise inspection by Jigawa State Governor Umar Namadi has exposed widespread absenteeism at the State Secretariat, with the offices of top government officials locked and many senior civil servants nowhere to be found during official working hours.
The Jigawa State Secretariat was unusually quiet as Governor Umar Namadi paid an unscheduled visit to monitor workers’ attendance and assess the level of commitment to official duties.
During the inspection, the Governor moved from one ministry to another and discovered that many offices were locked, while only a few messengers and security personnel were on duty.
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The offices of the Secretary to the State Government, the Head of Service and the Accountant General were all locked when the Governor arrived.
Several commissioners and permanent secretaries were also absent from their offices.
The Governor, however, met the Commissioner for Works at his office, while the Permanent Secretaries of the Ministries of Health and Livestock Development were also on seat.
Out of the state’s 18 commissioners, only one was found in the office during the Governor’s inspection.
Governor Namadi expressed disappointment over what he described as poor attendance and a lack of commitment by some public officials.
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He warned that his administration would not tolerate absenteeism, indiscipline or any form of misconduct in the civil service.
The Governor said every public servant has a responsibility to be at work and deliver quality services to the people, stressing that his administration remains committed to building an efficient, disciplined and accountable public service capable of meeting the expectations of the citizens.
The surprise inspection is part of the Governor’s ongoing efforts to strengthen discipline, improve productivity and ensure that government institutions deliver effective and timely services to the people of Jigawa State.
