The Federal Government, through the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), has initiated the process of appointing new Permanent Secretaries to fill vacancies across eight states in the country.
OsunDailyNG reports that this was disclosed in an official memo dated October 7, 2024, and signed by the Head of Civil Service, Didi Walson-Jack.
The memo revealed that only eligible civil servants from Abia, Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Kaduna, Kebbi, and Rivers states can apply for these high-ranking positions, in line with the Federal Character principle.
The memo, which was circulated to all ministers, agency directors, and senior officials, also highlighted that any official currently facing disciplinary action is barred from participating in the recruitment process.
This directive, according to the OHCSF, was approved by President Bola Tinubu.
“Following the President’s approval, the Office of the Head of Civil Service is initiating the appointment process for Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service to fill existing and anticipated vacancies in the aforementioned states, where current Permanent Secretaries have either retired or are due to retire by December 24, 2024,” the memo stated.
The criteria for eligibility were clearly outlined: applicants must have attained the rank of substantive Director on Salary Grade Level 17 on or before January 1, 2022; must be indigenes of the specified states; must have their records up-to-date on the IPPIS verification portal; and must have at least one year of service remaining by November 18, 2024, when the process will conclude.
The memo further stressed that “officers undergoing disciplinary procedures are not eligible to apply,” adding that the Permanent Secretaries must confirm in writing that any officers applying for the position are not under any form of investigation or disciplinary process.
