Nigeria’s Ministry of Information and Culture has ordered all senior Public Servants affected by new rules on length of tenure to immediately exit the service.
This follows a circular issued last month by Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan stating that relevant officers should hand over their responsibilities to the next most senior officer and proceed to pre-retirement training by 27 July.
An investigation by journalists has found the circular has largely been ignored.
The new rule states that Directors of Departments or their equivalents “shall compulsorily retire upon serving eight years on the post; and a Permanent Secretary shall hold office for a term of four years, renewable for a further term of four years, subject to satisfactory performance and no more”.
In a separate development, Director-General of the John Odigie-Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA), Imuwahen Ajoonu said the academy was driving Public Service transformation with the aim of becoming the premier learning destination for the public sector in Nigeria.
Ms Ajoonu (pictured) listed the major factor that propelled the urgency of Public Service transformation as technological advancement, evolving citizens’ expectations as well as citizen-centric services.
“As part of efforts to meet the proposed target of training 10,000 workers before the end of the year, 5,000 employees from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies will soon be equipped with digital skills, leadership, Public Service fundamentals and soft skills,” Ms Ajoonu said.
“The role of the Public Service in an era marked by rapid technological advancements, shifting societal expectations, and complex global challenges has become more crucial than ever before.”
She said the newly-established Academy played a pivotal role in fulfilling the vision of strengthening institutions through capacity building.
“It offers programs that focus on leadership, management, strategic thinking, ethics, policy analysis, and communication skills,” Ms Ajoonu said.
Abuja, 26 August 2023
