Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna state, has sworn in 13 of the 14 commissioners screened and cleared by the state House of Assembly.
However the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, has criticised the appointments, alleging lopsidedness, aimed at excluding certain section of the state from the governance structure.
Speaking shortly after administrating oath of office on the appointees on Thursday at Government House, Kaduna, Sani said his administration will cut down cost of governance and set up a trust fund to cater for the poor and the vulnerable.
He added he will donate 50 per cent of his salary to the trust fund.
The governor said the commissioners were appointed based on their experience and competence and urged them to live up to expectations.
“We count on you to bring your experience and competence to bear on governance in the state.
“You are coming into our administration at a period when we are confronted with serious economic and security challenges”, the governor said.
He added that creative and innovative steps were being taken to address the challenges facing the state.
“Our President took a hard and painful but necessary decision to remove fuel subsidy.
“We are therefore in a period of emergency. We must cut down on cost of governance and ostentatious lifestyle”, the governor said.
He said further that as part of measures to save money, the commissioners will use the
old vehicles left by their predecessors and lead by example for the people to follow.
Sani warned that “Excuses for lackluster performance will not be accepted, we shall strictly assess you based on performance indicators, anyone who failed to measure up shall be shown the way out.”
However, in a statement, the state chapter of the PDP alleged that the appointments were a continuation of the discriminatory policy of Nasir El-Rufai, the immediate past governor of against a particular section of the state.
The statement signed by Abraham Catoh, state publicity secretary of the PDP, expressed dismay with the “lopsidedness in the appointments…”
According to him, the appointment of the 14 commissioners “confirms the unfortunate claims of the immediate past governor of the state, Mallam Nasir Elrufai’s grand plan to shortchange and or exclude a certain section of the people from the governance structure of the state.
“Even more worrisome is the fact that the Local Governments of origin of the nominees were shrouded in secrecy in a desperate bid to conceal the glaring inequity in the appointments.”
The statement “condemned in totality such divisive antics reminiscent of the El-Rufai era”and called on the governor to make amends and ensure balance in all appointments.
The commissioners who were assigned portfolios during the swearing in, include:
a former speaker of the state assembly, Abdullahi Shagali as commissioner for Housing and Urban Development.
Education: Prof. Muhammad Sani Bello (who served as Director General, state APC gubernatorial campaign); Health: Umma Kaltume Ahmed ( a former commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs).
Local Government Affairs: Sadiq Mamman Lagos, (a former council chairman of Kaduna North); and Shizzer Nasara Bada (immediate past accountant general of the state), as Finance commissioner.
Others include; Malam Murtala Dabo (a former permanent secretary, state ministry of works and infrastructure) as commissioner for Agriculture,
Mukhtar Monrovia (a former federal lawmaker) – commissioner for Planning and Budget; Sule Shaibu – Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice; Hajiya Rabi Salisu – Women Affairs & Social Development; Abubakar Buba (Council chairman of Lere LGA)- Environment; Patience Fakai, Business, Innovations & Technology; Arch. Ibrahim Hamza – Works & Infrastructure; and Prof. Benjamin Gugong, Sports Development.
Auwal Shugaba was however absent during the swearing – in.
