Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, Head of Service of the Federation

The Federal Government has suspended the tenure policy in the Federal Civil Service with immediate effect, according to a circular to all Ministries Departments and Agencies signed by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita.

Haruna R. Imrana, Director Communication, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation said in a statement that the suspension of the policy followed a directive from President Muhammadu Buhari.

The suspended policy which was introduced by late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2009 set a four-year tenure renewable only once for permanent secretaries in the Federal Civil Service in line with the 1999 Constitution.

The eight-year tenure ceiling also affected federal directors without prejudice to the extant circular which prescribes 60 years of age and 35 years of service for mandatory retirement.

It was learnt that the suspended policy was introduced following a representation by the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF) to the then President.

The then chairman of FCSC and Head of Service had disclosed there was inability of the then Federal Civil Service to renew itself as a result of chronic lack of vacancies, particularly at the top directorate level.

With the suspension of the policy, a civil servant will remain in service until the attainment of 60 years of age or the 35 years of service for mandatory retirement.