Human Resource Planning and Organizational Sustainability in the Adamawa State Civil Service

This study investigates the relationship between human resource planning and organizational sustainability in the Adamawa State Civil Service, North East Nigeria. In a state facing complex governance challenges, including population displacement from past insurgency activities and constrained fiscal capacity, the adequacy of HR planning frameworks has direct consequences for the government's ability to deliver public services sustainably. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, with primary data collected from 120 HR officers, directors, and planning officials across eight state ministries. The study is anchored on the Contingency Theory of HRM and the sustainable HRM framework, supplemented by recent literature on public sector workforce planning in conflict-affected environments. Findings reveal that Adamawa State civil service HR planning is primarily short-term and reactive, driven by budget cycles rather than long-term strategic workforce needs. This results in critical skill gaps, overstaffing in non-technical departments, and chronic shortages in areas such as health, engineering, and data management. The study finds that ministries with dedicated HR planning units perform significantly better on service delivery indicators than those relying on general administration staff for workforce decisions. Recommendations include the establishment of a centralized HR analytics unit, mandatory HR planning training for ministry permanent secretaries, and alignment of civil service headcount planning with the state's medium-term expenditure framework. This study is relevant to the Adamawa State Government, the Head of Service, and development partners supporting governance reform in Northeast Nigeria. Keywords: human resource planning, organizational sustainability, civil service, Adamawa State, public sector