By Enyichukwu Enemanna
At least 40 directors in Nigeria’s Federal Civil Service have failed to scale through in the examination qualifying them for promotion to the position of permanent secretaries, the highest position in the country’s Civil Service hierarchy.
According to multiple sources, out of 92 directors listed to sit for the examination which took place on May 27, 2024, 40 scored below 50 per cent, which indicates failure, according to the result sighted by Heritage Times HT in Abuja.
A total of three directors were absent while one director could not complete the examination process.
A May 28, 2024 memo by the Office of the Head of Service tagged, “HCSF/ CMO/ AOD/012/IX/59’ noted.
The next test will be ICT-based, a memo dated May 28, 2024 by Office of the Head of Service tagged, “HCSF/ CMO/ AOD/012/IX/59’ noted.
The federal government 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.
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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.”
Officers undergoing disciplinary procedures were excluded from the exercise, the memo noted.
Heritage Times HT reports that this is not the first time senior civil servants are failing promotional examinations.
In 2023, no fewer than 61 directors also failed the written examination for the appointment of new permanent secretaries in the federal civil service.
A total of 85 directors were initially shortlisted for the examination out of which four were absent.
