Uba Sani appoints new head of service, pension board secretary

Uba Sani, governor of Kaduna, has announced the appointment of three key officials into strategic positions within the state’s public service.

The appointments, announced in a statement on Thursday, include: Jummai Bako, head of service; Ibrahim Balarabe, executive secretary, Kaduna State Pension Bureau; and Ali D Audu, commander, Kaduna State Vigilance Service (KADVIS).

Congratulating the new appointees, Sani charged them to approach their assignments with renewed vigour, total commitment, deep sense of humility, fairness, and integrity.

He urged them to deploy their vast experiences and knowledge to deliver on their institutional mandates and wished them God’s guidance in their new assignments.

According to the statement signed by Ibraheem Musa, chief press secretary to the governor, Bako was the permanent secretary (establishment, management & training), in the office of the head of service and replaces Habiba Anana Shekarau.

Bako served as director (budget) and director (monitoring and evaluation) in the ministry, planning, and budget commission.

She was a lecturer with the Bauchi State Polytechnic; senior planning officer, Local Government Service Commission (2006 to 2008); and education officer at the ministry of education.

Bako is also the co-chair, government-citizens engagement committee under the Open Government Partnership (OGP).

Balarabe, who replaces Salamatu Idris Isah, retired in May 2023 from the board of Access Pensions Limited as executive director (north), after serving seven years on the board.

He has over 31 years of corporate and public service experience, including 18 years in the new contributory pension scheme (Sigma & Access Pensions), 11 years in banking (First Bank of Nigeria, International Trust & Magnum Trust Bank), and two years in public service (National Directorate of Employment).

He was a pioneer member of the new Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) in 2005, first as a staff of Sigma Pensions and later Access Pensions.

Balarabe attended Ahmadu Bello University Zaria where he obtained his first and second degrees in agriculture and business administration respectively.

Audu, the new KADVIS commander, served as commissioner of police, Kaduna State Command (2023 – 2024); commissioner of police, border patrol, Force Headquarters, Abuja; commissioner of police, police mobile force, Force Headquarters, Abuja; and commandant, police mobile force Training College, Ende Hills, Nasarawa.