Yusuf Sacks Deputy as Higher Education Commissioner, Relegates Ministry to Agency
By Ahmad Tijjani Abdul
KANO —– Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has relieved his deputy, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, of his role as the substantive Commissioner for Higher Education following a restructuring that also saw the ministry downgraded to a directorate under the state’s Ministry of Education.
The development was announced in a statement issued on Sunday by the governor’s spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.
According to the statement, the state government has approved the merger of the Ministry of Higher Education with the Ministry of Education as part of efforts to strengthen coordination and accelerate reforms in Kano State’s education sector.
Following the restructuring, the statement said the new entity will operate as the Ministry of Education, with a specialized Directorate of Higher Education created within the ministry to oversee tertiary education activities.
The directorate, it explained, will be headed by a Permanent Secretary and supported by the necessary personnel to ensure effective management of higher education institutions across the state.
“Under this restructuring, all agencies under the defunct Higher Education Ministry such as the Scholarship Board will return to the Ministry of Education, while state-owned universities and other higher education institutions will also be supervised by the new Directorate under the merged ministry,” the statement said.
It added that the move forms part of the government’s ongoing education sector reform aimed at repositioning the system, eliminating duplication of responsibilities, improving policy coordination across all levels of education and reducing the cost of governance.
Governor Yusuf was quoted in the statement as saying that the reform is designed to cut the cost of governance while enhancing efficiency, accountability and the overall quality of education administration in the state.
He reiterated that his administration remains committed to implementing far-reaching reforms that will revive the education sector and secure a brighter future for the younger generation.
The governor also directed the Office of the Secretary to the State Government and the Office of the Head of Service to ensure the immediate and seamless realignment of the affected ministries and their respective departments.