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…some Directors have already gotten notification to quit service
…names of affected Directors sent to accounting officers
The Federal Government, apparently following the Public Service Rule (PSR) requirements, has this week begun the mass retirement of permanent secretaries and Grade Level 17 Directors who have spent above eight years in the directorate cadre.
Sources privy to this development revealed that sack letters have been issued to some affected staff and it is expected that all affected workers would have received their letters before the end of work on Friday, September 1, 2023.
Over 500 Directors from the core civil service are expected to be affected by the new directive.
But the number, sources in the office of the HoCSF disclosed, is expected to rise to over 1000 as the policy had been extended to other departments and agencies like the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) and other paramilitaries.
TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) recalls that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Dr. (Mrs) Folasade Yemi-Esan, had in a memo dated July 27, 2023, addressed to all permanent secretaries, Accountant-General of the Federation, Auditor-General of the Federation and heads of extra-ministerial departments, ordered strict compliance with the newly revised Public Service Rules, 2021, which require Directors in the civil service, who have spent eight years to proceed on immediate retirement.
“Following the approval of the revised Public Service Rules by the Federal Executive Council on September 27, 2021, and its subsequent unveiling at the public service lecture during the commemoration of the 2023 Civil Service Week, the PSR has become operational with effect from July 27, 2023.
“You are, therefore, to ensure full compliance with all provisions of the Public Service Rules, 2021. Please, ensure strict compliance with the contents of this circular”, the HCSF had directed in the memo.
“Consequently, all accounting officers in the MDAs conveyed the OHCSF directive to their work force through internal memos.
For instance, the Director of Administration, Federal Ministry of Finance, Maria Rufai, in a circular dated August 3, directed all directors, who had stayed on the director ‘s rank for eight years to proceed on immediate and handover official property, including vehicles to the next most senior officer in their respective departments.
“I write to refer you to the “2021 Revised Edition” of the Public Service Rules, which takes effect from 27th July 2023.
“Consequently, all Directors (SGL 17), who have spent eight years and above on the post are by this Internal Circular directed to submit their notice of retirement in line with Section 020909 of the revised PSR effective from the date stated thereof.
“Accordingly, all affected directors are advised to commence the process of documentation with the Administration Department for compulsory retirement by virtue of the section under reference.
Mostly affected by the new tenure policy is the Federal Ministry of Health and Ministry Education, which sources informed have a large population of super directors.
“In most instances, directors on Level 17 don’t spend more than three years in office after attaining that position. By the time they get promoted to Level 17, they are either close to the 60 years retirement age or the 35 years in service rule.
“On the average, a director on GL 17, which is the highest paying grade on the federal civil service commission earns about N500,000 monthly. This amount does not include other pecks and privileges that come with the office.