Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State on Friday announced a reduction in the number of permanent secretaries from 47 to 26 and the creation of seven new direc0torates.

Addressing newsmen in Gusau, he said the action taken was as result of decisions and recommendations of the white paper committee set up by the state government to restructure the state’s civil service for better service delivery.

“One of the crucial issues addressed by the report is that of the number of our permanent secretaries vis-a-vis our scarce resources. All assessments have shown that our state has a far greater number of permanent secretaries than any of our sister states in the North-west. With 47 permanent secretaries, the system has become saturated and overburdened.

The governor explained that in addition to the existing directorates, government had approved the establishment of new directorates and bureaus including the directorates of Housing and Urban Development, Lands and Survey, Chieftaincy Affairs, Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Intercommunity Relations,and bureaus for Public Procurement and Public Service Reform.

He said another issue raised by the white paper was that of a befitting office accommodation for the deputy governor and Head of Service.

Already, he said, work has commenced to provide a suitable office for the deputy governor, while that of the Head of Service and the offices under him would soon start.

(Daily Trust)