By Hosea Parah, Abuja

In a significant administrative development, the Federal Ministry of Youth Development has welcomed a new Permanent Secretary following an official handover ceremony attended by top government officials and stakeholders.

The Director General of Committee on Youth mobilization and Sensitization (CYMS), Chief Obinna Nwaka, was present as Mr. Olubunmi Olusanya, former Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, formally transferred responsibilities to Dr. Maryam Kensinro, who assumes office as the new Permanent Secretary of the ministry.

Mr. Olusanya has now taken up a new role as the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

The event also doubled as a moment of reunion for Dr Maryam, who reconnected with former colleagues from the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs. She also interacted warmly with Dr. Garba Abdul Usman, who was newly inaugurated as a Permanent Secretary by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, just a day earlier.

Reflecting on the ceremony and the camaraderie shared, Mr. Dr Maryam Kensinro described the atmosphere as one filled with “love, support and understanding.”

During the hand over speech, the outgoing Permanent Secretary, Mr Olubunmi announced that following the deployment of Dr Maryam Kensinro, she now also takes over as the Chairman, Central Planning Committee, National Youth Confab assuring that the long awaited Youth Confab will hold in the first quarter of 2025.

The transition marks another step in the administration’s ongoing efforts to strengthen governance and enhance service delivery across key ministries.

Witnessing the event was also Chief Obinna Nwaka, the Director General, Committee of Youth on Mobilization and Sensitization (CYMS) who also serves as the Chairman, Contacts and Mobilization Sub Committee on National Youth Confab who described the event as a continuation of the good work of the former Permanent Secretary.

He stated that, the new Permanent Secretary, Dr Maryam Kensinro is a workaholic Civil Servant who the Honourable Minister for Youth Development Engr Ayodele Olawande will be happy to work with.