Mrs Ekanem Oyo-Ita

Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, a chartered accountant and permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology  is the new   Head of Nigeria’s Federal  Civil Service. She replaces Danladi Kifasi, who has proceeded on terminal leave.

Her appointment in acting capacity was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari. It takes immediate effect.

According to a statement by  Mr Bolaji Adebiyi, Director of Press in the office of the Secretary to Government of the Federal,  her appointment was a testimony of Buhari’s implicit confidence and trust in her ability to discharge the responsibility of the office of the HOS.

Ekanem had  also served as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs.

She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).

Born in April 1964, she  was educated at the Queens College Yaba in Lagos, graduated at the University of Lagos in 1984 with BSc Accounting and holds a Masters’ degree from the Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

The new HoS  hails from Odukpani local government area of Cross River state.

Buhari had earlier approved the pre-retirement leave of Kifasi, who was due to retire from the service in January 2016 with effect from Oct. 20.

According to a statement from the Director of Communications in the HOS office, Alhaji Haruna Imrana, the approval was signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal.