13th June, 2019
Hajiya Salamatu Abubakar, now the Permanent Secretary, Establishment in the Office of Head of Service of Niger State has emerged as the state first female head of service(HOS).
Her appointment by Governor Abubakar Sani Bello was announced today by Musa Rogo Ibrahim, Permanent Secretary, Special Duties overseeing General Services.
Salamatu from Agai Local Government was among the 17 permanent secretaries appointed by Governor Bello in September 2015.
Governor Bello has also approved the appointment of the Secretary to the Niger State Government (SSG), Head of Service (HOS) and his Chief Of Staff (COS).
Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane is the new Secretary to the Government while Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe is the new Chief of Staff to the Governor.
According to the statement, the appointments of Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe and Hajiya Salamatu Abubakar to these positions are based on merit, proven integrity and outstanding record of performance in their previous assignments.
The new Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane was the former Head of Service of Niger State and Commissioner of Agriculture while Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe was the immediate past Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
Matane was born in the village of Kakihum on June 24, 1962. He had his primary education at the Central Primary School, Kontagora (1968-1972) and finished at the Sami Gomo Primary School, Zuru (1972-74). Then he went to Government Secondary School, Zuru between 1974-1979 for his secondary education.
After completing his A-Level at the school of Basic Studies (SBS), ABU Zaria (1980-81). He gained admission into the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria in 1981 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture in 1985. He holds a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics in the University of Melbourne, Australia which he earned in 1993.
Inclined towards academics, Alhaji Ahmed Ibrahim Matane began his working career briefly in 1986, as a Lecturer with the Federal College of Education (FCE) Kontagora, and later moved to the state civil service as Agric Planning Officer II between 1986-1989. He became Agric Planning Officer I from 1989-19992; Senior Agric Planning Officer, 1992-1995; Principal Agric Planning Officer, 1995-1998; Asst. Chief Agric Planning Officer, 1998-2001; and Chief Agric Planning Officer/Ag. Director, Planning Research and Statistics (2001-2003)..