The Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, has inaugurated a committee to oversee recruitments into the state civil service, in what he described as a strategic step to tackle unemployment, youth restiveness and insecurity.
The governor’s office said the measure was aimed at addressing “informants’ syndrome” – a growing problem in the state where young people provide intelligence to criminal groups – by creating meaningful opportunities for Sokoto’s youth.
In a statement issued from Government House, the director-general of media and publicity, Abubakar Bawa, said the committee would draw up recruitment criteria, review applications, conduct interviews and recommend candidates to fill vacancies across state ministries, departments and agencies.
It has one month to submit its report.
The panel is chaired by Jelani Kalgo, and includes the diplomat Sahabi Gada, former minister Bature Shinkafi, Muhammad Bello Nagwari, Ladan Ala (commissioner for basic and secondary education), Faruk A. Wurno (commissioner for health), and the permanent secretaries of the civil service and local government commissions.
Gandi Umar Muhammad will serve as secretary.
Mr Aliyu said the initiative formed part of his administration’s commitment to strengthening the state civil service and ensuring that young people were “positively engaged” rather than driven into crime.
“This measure is part of our administration’s commitment to providing meaningful employment and ensuring that Sokoto youths are productively engaged,” he said.
Observers in Sokoto welcomed the plan as a timely intervention that could ease economic pressures on households while curbing recruitment into criminal networks.