The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) has ordered the immediate disengagement of all directors who have spent eight years or more in the directorate cadre, in line with the revised Public Service Rules.
The directive, contained in an internal memo sighted by our correspondent in Abuja, applies to directors across the ministry, federal hospitals, agencies and parastatals under the health sector.
The move follows a Federal Government order mandating all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to enforce the eight-year tenure limit for directors and the four-year tenure rule for permanent secretaries, as issued through the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
In the memo signed by Tetshoma Dafeta, Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary at the FMOH, management was instructed to act without delay.
“Further to the Eight (8)-Year Tenure Policy of the Federal Public Service, which mandates the compulsory retirement of Directors after eight years in that rank, as provided in the Revised Public Service Rules 2021 (PSR 020909), I am directed to remind you to take necessary action to ensure that all affected officers who have spent eight years as Directors are disengaged from service immediately,” the memo stated.
The ministry further directed all heads of agencies and parastatals to ensure strict compliance with the policy.
“Accordingly, all Heads of Agencies and Parastatals are to ensure that the affected staff hand over all official documents and possessions with immediate effect, their salaries are stopped by the IPPIS Unit, and the officers refund to the treasury all emoluments paid after their effective date of disengagement,” the memo added.
The circular warned that compliance would be closely monitored.
“Officials from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Ministry will conduct a monitoring exercise to ensure compliance. Failure to adhere shall be met with stiff sanctions,” it said.
The FMOH also requested institutions to submit the nominal roll of all directorate officers on CONMESS 07, CONHESS 15 and CONRAISS 15 cadres to the Department of Human Resource Management for verification.
The enforcement of the tenure policy traces back to the introduction of the revised Public Service Rules approved by the Federal Executive Council.
Three years ago, former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, announced the commencement of the revised rules during a Civil Service Week lecture at the State House, Abuja.
At the time, she explained that the revised PSR would become operational the following year, adding that the reforms were aimed at strengthening efficiency, accountability and succession planning within the federal public service.
According to Section 020909 of the revised PSR, permanent secretaries are limited to a four-year tenure, renewable only once based on satisfactory performance, while directors on Grade Level 17 or equivalent must compulsorily retire after eight years in that rank.
