Indigeneship : Zamfara Govt Zigzags On New Federal Permanent Secretary, Keshinro Maryam Ismaila

Zamfara state government has been zigzagging with respect to its stance on the ‘indigeneship’ of a top civil servant, Keshinro Maryam Ismaila, who was appointed as Permanent Secretary on Friday.

 Recall that President Bola Tinubu  had on Friday approved the appointment of eight new permanent secretaries to fill existing and impending vacancies in some states and geo-political zones in the top administrative cadre of the federal civil service.

 Zamfara state Government  had however objected to this submitting that  the woman is not an indigene of the state and, therefore, not qualified to be appointed to represent the state.

The state Head of Service, Mr Ahmad Liman, had earlier before now sent a letter to the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, claiming that Maryam is not an indigene of Zamfara state.

In the letter  in question which was dated  May 24  , Mr Liman said Mrs Keshinro cannot  legitimately represent the people of the state cognizant that she is not from Zamfara state  and she must  therefore be dropped.

The letter also cited eligibility criteria in the Public Service Rules and a 2023 tenure policy circular.

‘Consequent upon the commencement of the appointment process of the Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service, issues arose that stirred the collective attention of the good people of Zamfara state in respect of the representative capacity of candidates deployed in the process, most especially the potential candidate penciled for the appointment as a permanent secretary purported from Zamfara state’ he submitted while adding that seeking to appoint her as Permanent Secretary failed to meet the requirements provided under the eligibility criteria enshrined in the Public Service Rules (as revised).

‘The requisite for the said post offends the content of a recent Federal Government Circular No. MH.7205/T/31 dated 7 September 2023, on tenure policy regarding clinical Officers/Personnel since the potential candidate that wrongly claimed representation of the good people of Zamfara State is clinical personnel.

It’s worthy of note to clarify from the onset that the candidate infracted the key provision of Eligibility Criteria of the PSR, especially Rules 020811 (e) (f), which linked the requirements to indigeneship.

For all intents and purposes , the candidate is never an indigene of Zamfara state and would not legally claim or enjoy representation for the sake of the good people of Zamfara state. Furthermore, no purported documentation in that respect will legally qualify her to be a bona fide indigene of Zamfara state’  the Head of Service added .

He also alleged  that the state  has been unfairly treated at the federal level, and Maryam’s appointment would continue the long cry of marginalization of the state regarding representation at the federal level.

‘Secondly, the circular cited above haplessly deprived the candidate of taking undue advantage of representation of the good people of Zamfara state, most especially the Federal Civil Servants of Zamfara extraction, since the candidate is a clinical officer/personnel exempted from tenure policy, thus, could not legally vie for the post of a permanent secretary in the Federal Civil Service by the extant circular.

It’s against this background that I am, therefore, directed to appeal to the collective conscience of the offices of the Head of the Federation and indeed all critical stakeholders to drop the candidacy of MARYAM IBRAHIM ALIYU or by whatever name called (Keshinro Maryam Ismaila) for the post of a Permanent Secretary in the Federal Civil Service representing the good people of Zamfara state to allow an indigene of Zamfara extraction in the Federal Civil Service to legally and positively compete for the post.

Lest we may recover from being the least represented state in the Federal Civil Service and at the same time seek the satisfaction of the Constitutional requirements enshrined in section 14 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’ he added,

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that  the state governor, Mr Dauda Lawal however hosted Maryam Keshinro during the weekend and spoke highly of her.

The governor’s spokesman, Sulaiman Bala Idris said Governor Lawal hosted Dr. Maryam to show solidarity and support.

Congratulating Maryam on her appointment, Governor Lawal urged her to be a good ambassador  of Zamfara state and the nation at large.

‘Zamfara state government will provide you with all the support you need and we are proud of your achievements. Iam  hosting you today to appreciate you and to let you know that on behalf of the state, we are all proud of you’ the governor was quoted to have submitted.

 The state Commissioner for Information,  Alhaji Mannir Haidara, has also spoken in the same vein admitting however that ‘due diligence’ was not done.

‘Our findings indicated that Maryam was actually born and raised in Tsafe town, Tsafe Local Government, Zamfara state. I think she was not known to many people because she did all her working career outside the state.

Those doubting her indigeneship did not go further about her background. But as far as Zamfara state government is concerned, Maryam is one of us and the government is happy for her elevation to the status of federal permanent secretary.

The government is therefore appealing to Mrs Keshinro to work hand-in-hand with Zamfara state government to move the state to greater heights.

Zamfara state government is in dire need of support from experienced people like her to move the state forward’ he submitted.

It was gathered that the woman had married a Yoruba man which made her surname become ‘Keshinro’—Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you