FG ends Tenure Limits for Permanent Secretaries and Directors in Civil Service

The federal government has announced an end to the eight year tenure policy for permanent secretaries and directors in the federal civil service, with immediate effect.

The directive was contained in a circular to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) signed by the head of the civil service of the federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita yesterday.

A statement by the director of communication, office of the head of civil service of the federation, Haruna R. Imrana, said all MDAs must give effect to the new directive immediately.

A portion of the statement read: “The Circular which conveyed the President’s directive on the suspension said the suspension is with immediate effect and all concerned are to comply accordingly.”

The Nation quotes a top source in the civil service as saying:

“This is a landmark civil service reform by President Muhammadu Buhari because it will stabilise the system. The previous policy had led to the loss of good and resourceful hands in the civil service.

“Also, by implications, civil servants will now feel free to retire mandatorily at either 60 years of age or 35 years in service.

“The craze for corruption in the civil service by tenured public officers will reduce. There will be a sense of security for civil servants with the suspension of the eight-year policy.”

The federal government had on August 26, 2009 through circular HCSF/O61/S.1/III/68 introduced the tenure policy for directors and Permanent Secretaries. The circular was signed by a former head of the civil service of the federation, Mr Steve Oronsaye.