The Federal Government has launched a comprehensive personnel audit at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in response to a sharp decline in workforce strength, following the retirement of over 1,600 employees in the last 18 months.
The initiative, formally titled the Personnel Audit and Skills Gap Analysis (PAGSA), was flagged off by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Shuaib Belgore, who said the move was aimed at boosting operational efficiency and filling critical skills gaps that have hindered the ministry’s project execution capacity.
Speaking during the flag-off ceremony, Belgore stressed that the audit was urgently needed, especially in the face of mounting challenges in supervision and delivery of housing projects across the country.
“The Ministry is grossly understaffed. With over 1,600 retirements within just one and a half years, we are seeing serious gaps in skills and personnel, particularly in our field offices, ” he said.
The staff verification and skills assessment exercise is part of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2025 (FCSSIP 25), spearheaded by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).
It aimed to assess workforce capacity, verify personnel records, and guide future recruitment, training, and workforce planning.
According to a statement by Badamasi Haiba, Director of Information and Public Relations in the ministry, the PAGSA project will also support broader civil service reforms and help align human resources with the ministry’s core mandate of providing affordable housing to Nigerians.
Belgore emphasised the ministry’s readiness to collaborate with Georgid Consulting, the firm handling the audit, to ensure that the exercise identifies both gaps and strengths within its human resource structure.
“We want the consultants to go into full detail, not just numbers, but skills, capacity, and potential.
“This data will help us plan, train, and reposition for better service delivery, ” said.
He also called on all staff to fully cooperate with the audit team, pledging full support from the ministry to ensure the success of the exercise.
Belgore warned that compliance would be monitored to ensure both staff and consultants meet their responsibilities under the project.
In his remarks, Isaac Idontenyi, Chief Executive Officer of Georgid Consulting, said the physical verification process would begin immediately, starting Monday, with cooperation from departmental heads.
He explained that the exercise will involve digital tools to ensure accurate data capture and coverage across all ministry locations nationwide.
“We are not just verifying; we’re laying the groundwork for transformational change.
“Our goal is to equip the ministry with the right human capital for current and future needs, ” he said.
The scope of the PAGSA included not only verification of employment status and qualifications, but also performance evaluation, training needs assessment, leadership development, succession planning, recruitment strategies, and optimal staff deployment.
Also speaking, the Acting Director of Human Resource Management, Ayodele Ademola, described the audit as a landmark step toward aligning the ministry’s workforce with its renewed vision under the present administration.
“This exercise signals our commitment to accountability, transparency, and excellence.
“Our human capital must remain a strategic driver of sustainable housing and urban development across the country, ‘: he said.
The audit exercise comes at a time when the federal government is intensifying its push for reform across the civil service, with a focus on efficiency, digitisation, and results-oriented governance.
