No less than 40 directors failed the qualifying examination for appointment as permanent secretary.
A total of 92 directors were scheduled to take the examination on May 27, 2024.
While 40 directors scored less than 50%, indicating failure, according to the examination results acquired, three were missing, and one director could not complete the exam.
A May 28, 2024 memo by the Office of the Head of Service labeled, “HCSF/ CMO/ AOD/012/IX/59” stated that the next test would be an ICT-based test.
The Federal Government had previously announced the start of the process for the appointment of new permanent secretaries to fill current and upcoming vacancies for the states of Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Ondo, Zamfara, South-East, and South-South zones. This announcement was made through the Office of the Head of Civil Service.
This was revealed in a circular sent to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, and Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, by the Head of the Federation’s Civil Service, Folashade Yemi-Esan.
In the memo, which she personally signed, Yemi-Esan noted that only directors who attained the position of substantive director on or before January 1, 2022, would be considered in the process.
The circular dated April 19, 2024 and tagged “HCSF/CMO/AOD/012/IX/24 read: “Following the approval of Mr. President, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is commencing the process of the appointment of Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service in respect of existing and impending vacancies for Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Ebony, Jigawa, Ondo, Zamfara States, South-East and South-South geo-political Zones, whose Permanent Secretaries have retired or will retire between April and September, 2024.
“Consequently, the mainstream Federal Civil Service officers who meet the following conditions are eligible to participate in the exercise.”
Giving the qualifications, the memo stated that candidates must “have attained the position of substantive Director on Salary Grade Level 17 on or before 1st January, 2022; have updated their records on the IPPIS Verification Portal; are from the states or geopolitical zones listed in paragraph one above; and are not retiring from service earlier than 31st December 2025.”
The memo also stated that officers undergoing disciplinary procedures were excluded from the exercise.