Kogi Head of Service Celebrates Sanni Haruna at 60, Hails His Meritorious Retirement

By Abah Benjamin Eneojoh
Government House, Lokoja

The Head of the Kogi State Civil Service, Hajiya Falilat Yusuf Musa, Esq., has celebrated the outgoing Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Deputy Governor, Mallam Sanni Haruna Muhammed, on his 60th birthday and meritorious retirement, describing his exit from active service as a moment of mixed feelings, marked by gratitude for his successful career and the loss of an experienced administrator.

Speaking on Friday, at a send-forth ceremony organised in his honour by the Office of the Deputy Governor in Lokoja, the Head of Service expressed happiness that Haruna was retiring in good health after years of dedicated service to Kogi State. She, however, acknowledged that his departure would be felt across the state civil service, particularly by colleagues who had benefited from his experience, wisdom and professional contributions.

The Head of Service, who described the celebrant as both a brother and one of the prominent permanent secretaries with whom she shared a close relationship, congratulated him on attaining the milestone age of 60 and successfully completing his career. She noted that retirement offered him a well-deserved opportunity to rest after years of commitment to the growth and development of the state’s public service.

In his farewell address, Mallam Sanni Haruna Muhammed expressed profound gratitude to Almighty Allah for His grace, mercy and protection throughout his public service career. He also thanked Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo, FCA, and Deputy Governor Comrade Joel Salifu for their transformational and inclusive leadership, while appreciating the government for appointing him Permanent Secretary through what he described as a transparent, competitive and merit-driven process.

The retiring Permanent Secretary particularly commended the Head of Service for her transformational leadership and ongoing reforms aimed at repositioning the Kogi State Civil Service as a modern, disciplined and globally competitive institution. He urged civil servants to embrace integrity, diligence, discipline and continuous capacity development, especially in information and communication technology, warning that officers who failed to prepare for the state’s digitalisation agenda risked being left behind.

Also speaking, the Deputy Chief of Staff, Hilary Ojomah Egwudah, praised Haruna for his fairness, humility, hard work, administrative competence and steadfast support to the Office of the Deputy Governor. He described the celebrant as a godly and selfless leader whose legacy of kindness, integrity and dedication would endure beyond his years in active service, while praying for God’s continued blessings, good health and fulfilment in retirement.

The Director of Administration in the Office of the Deputy Governor, Hajia Hadizatu Haruna, also thanked guests for honouring the invitation and wished them safe journeys back to their respective destinations.

The ceremony concluded with expressions of appreciation to Haruna’s family, Permanent secretaries, colleagues, former associates at the Ministry of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, and staff of the Office of the Deputy Governor for their support throughout his career.