From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the suspension of tenure policy in the Federal Civil Service.
The directive was contained in a circular to all ministries departments and agencies (MDAs) signed by Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita.
Oyo-Ita, in the circular, said the directive was from President Buhari and asked all concerned to comply accordingly.
Until the suspension, Permanent Secretaries were appointed to serve for a tenure of four years, subject to renewal, while Directors were appointed to serve for eight years, except the mandatory 60 years retirement age or 35 years in services catches up with them.
The tenure policy was fixed in 2009 by the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s administration.
The then Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mr. Stephen Oronsaye had, in an August 25, 2009, circular announced fixed tenure for permanent secretaries and directors in the Federal Civil Service.
In the Public Service Reforms enshrined in Decree 43 of 1988, powers of promotion and appointment in the civil service were decentralised, and each ministry was given these powers. Before the decree, the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) was vested with the powers to conduct and approve promotions and appointments in the Federal Civil Service and the Nigerian Foreign Service.
The commission maintained a rigid system, requiring officers to mature and spend fixed number of years on each grade before being considered for promotion. But, operation of Decree 43 led to this yardstick being jettisoned and many officers in different ministries on Grade levels 10 to 12 had attained the rank of directors, deputy directors and assistant directors within a relatively short period of six years.
The extant rule on progression in the federal civil service was strictly enforced, whereby officers must spend a minimum of three years each on Grade levels 08 to 13 before being qualified for promotion, and four years each on Grade levels 14 to 16.
The 2009 circular also reinforced one of the extant retirement regulations, which stipulates a maximum 35 years of service.
The fixed tenure policy for permanent secretaries benefited all directors in the federal civil service who, through examination and interview, filled the one slot of permanent secretary per State, provided there is a vacancy.