Nigeria suspends tenure policy in federal civil service

Nigeria suspends tenure policy in federal civil service

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday ordered the suspension of the tenure policy in the federal civil service with immediate effect.

The policy, introduced by a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Steve Oronsaye, under the late President Umaru Yar’Adua administration, prescribed two terms of four years each for permanent secretaries of ministries, while directors were entitled to an eight-year tenure.

The policy also affected top level officers in federal ministries, departments and agencies.

But, a statement issued on Monday by the Director of Communication in the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Haruna Imrana, said the directive to drop the policy was contained in a circular to all ministries, departments and agencies, signed by the HOCSOF, Winifred Oyo-Ita.

The circular, which conveyed the president’s directive on the suspension, said the order took immediate effect, while all concerned were urged to comply accordingly.

The spokesperson said with this circular, the eight-yearstenure policy for directors, which was introduced some years back, has now been suspended.

He said the implication was that civil servants could now stay in service until they are 35 years in service or they turn 60.