By Rabiu Sanusi
The Kano State Government has reiterated its commitment to strengthening the civil service through continuous capacity building and merit-based career progression as it officially flagged off the 25th Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) Workshop and Examination for officers aspiring to managerial cadre.
The ceremony, held at the Kano State Library Complex, brought together senior government officials, facilitators from the public service training sector and participants drawn from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) across the state.
Representing the Executive Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Secretary to the State Government, Farouk Umar Ibrahim, declared the workshop open and described it as a strategic intervention for grooming future managers in the state civil service.
He explained that the transition from technical roles to managerial responsibilities requires more than professional competence, stressing that leadership ability, accountability, ethical discipline and strategic thinking are essential for effective governance and service delivery.
According to him, the programme, organised in collaboration with the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria, is designed to equip officers with the managerial skills and policy understanding required to drive efficiency in public institutions.
He noted that participants are expected to emerge from the training as role models within the civil service, adding that the quality of leadership at the managerial level will significantly determine the effectiveness of government policies and programmes.
The Governor, in the address, also highlighted ongoing reforms in human capital development, including recruitment exercises across key education agencies and the engagement of additional personnel to strengthen service delivery in critical sectors.
He further pointed that in training and retraining of civil servants across all levels, including senior officials, directors and administrators as part of efforts to entrench professionalism, discipline and accountability in governance.
Declaring the programme open, he reaffirmed that promotion into managerial cadre in Kano State would continue to be based strictly on merit, competence and demonstrated leadership capacity rather than length of service alone.
In her welcome address, the Kano state Head of civil Service, Bilkisu Shehu Mai Mota, described the ASCON workshop as a key pillar of civil service reform and an essential tool for succession planning within the public sector.
She explained that the programme is designed to prepare officers on Grade Level 13 and above for managerial responsibilities through structured training and examination, while ensuring transparency, fairness and merit in the assessment process.
The ceremony ended with a renewed commitment by the state government to build a professional, responsive and result-oriented civil service capable of supporting sustainable development and improved governance outcomes in Kano State.
