No fewer than 40 directors failed the qualifying examination for appointment to the position of permanent secretaries.
A cumulative of 92 directors were listed to sit the examination which took place on May 27, 2024.
According to the examination results obtained in Abuja, 40 directors scored less than 50%, constituting a failure, while three were absent and one director was unable to complete the exam.
A May 28, 2024 memo by the Office of the Head of Service tagged, “HCSF/ CMO/ AOD/012/IX/59’ noted that the next test will be an ICT-based test.
Thediscovererng.com reports that the Federal Government, through the Office of the Head of Civil Service, had earlier announced the commencement of the process for the appointment of new permanent secretaries to fill existing and impending vacancies for Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Ondo, Zamfara states, South-East and South-South zones.
The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, disclosed this in a circular addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, among others.
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 noted 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 additionally noted that officers currently under disciplinary investigation or review were not eligible to participate in the exercise.
