Abel Oluwamuyiwa assumes duty as Education Ministry’s new perm sec

The new Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel Enitan Oluwamuyiwa, assumed office on Thursday with a charge to the ministry’s staff to rededicate themselves to the ongoing transformation in the education sector.

He took over the mantle of leadership as the accounting officer of the ministry from the outgoing Permanent Secretary, Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, who has retired after 60 years of meritorious service to the nation.

He urged the directors in the ministry to set SMART goals—specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound—regarding what they aim to achieve in their respective departments.

Oluwamuyiwa emphasized that with commitment and dedication, significant progress could be made, stressing that the Ministry of Education remains crucial to the actualization of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s eight-point agenda, given its role in human capital development in the country.

While stating that he would prioritize staff welfare, the Permanent Secretary declared that he would operate an open-door policy, with the caveat that accessibility to him must be qualitative—based on ideas, innovations, and suggestions on how to provide the necessary support to the ministers in advancing the education sector.

ALSO READ: Kogi Central group ‘pushing’ Senator Natasha’s recall not registered with us — CAC

He commended the outgoing Permanent Secretary, Sani-Gwarzo, for his focused leadership in the ministry, stating that he was not coming to reinvent the wheel but to build on the successes of his predecessors while fulfilling his mandate as the accounting officer of the ministry.

Directors of the ministry took turns to pour encomiums on Dr. Sani-Gwarzo, who was said to have reshaped the ministry within the short period he served as Permanent Secretary, highlighting his numerous achievements through dedication and hard work.

Meanwhile, in his brief remarks after formally handing over to his successor, Sani-Gwarzo appealed to all staff and top officials of the ministry to give their full support to Oluwamuyiwa, assuring them that he has good plans to enhance their welfare.

He expressed gratitude to God for guiding him throughout his years of service, rising through the ranks to be appointed as a Permanent Secretary, where he had the opportunity to serve in several ministries, ultimately retiring from the Ministry of Education.