About 512 directors in the Nigerian civil service will have been forced to retire due to the implementation of the newly revised Public Service Rules, 2021, by the Federal Government. The revised rules, which took effect from July 27, 2023, were launched by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation on July 28, 2023, in Abuja.
One of the major changes introduced by the new rules is a tenure policy for permanent secretaries. According to the policy, permanent secretaries are now required to spend four years in office, which is renewable subject to their performance.
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Sources within the Federal civil service confirmed that the new rule is expected to affect as many as 512 directors who have been stagnant in their positions for eight years or more. The implementation of the revised Public Service Rules has already caused tension and agitation in the civil service.
The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, unveiled the revised rules during the civil service week, noting that the implementation would commence immediately. Yemi-Esan mentioned that the rules were revised under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari but were delayed until President Bola Tinubu took over in line with the ‘renewed hope’ agenda.
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However, the implementation of the new PSR has been met with opposition from some public servants, who argue that it conflicts with the mandatory 60 years retirement age for civil servants, citing relevant sections of the rules. PSR 020908 states that the mandatory retirement age remains 60 years or 35 years of pensionable service, with exemptions for certain groups such as judicial officers and members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
On the other hand, the revised PSR 020909 stipulates that directors or their equivalents in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) must compulsorily retire after serving eight years on the tenure policy post. Additionally, Permanent Secretaries are now required to hold office for a term of four years, with the possibility of renewal for another four years, subject to satisfactory performance.
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The memo dated July 27, addressed to all Permanent Secretaries, Accountant-General of the Federation, Auditor-General of the Federation, and Heads of Extra Ministerial Departments, emphasizes strict compliance with the revised rules.
The implementation of these new rules has raised concerns among civil servants, and the matter is likely to continue generating discussions and debates in the civil service in the coming days.
