FG shops for 16 new permanent secretaries

The Federal Government has fixed June 1, 4, 8 and 9  for an  examination to pick 16 new permanent secretaries  for the Federal Civil Service.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, announced the dates in a circular seen by our correspondent on Friday.

The circular dated May 6, 2020 and marked HCSF/CMO/AOD/012/VI/ 32 was addressed to heads of ministries, departments and agencies, among others.

According to the circular, the first stage of examination, which is written  on relevant public service and policy issues, will hold on June 1.

It added that the second stage, which is Information and Communication Technology assessment test, will hold on June 4 and open to only candidates shortlisted from the first stage.

The circular further indicated that those shortlisted from the second stage would  take part in the final oral interview/interactive session with a broad-based panel of experts and practitioners  on June 8 and 9.

Accreditation and registration of candidates preceding the examination which started on May 11, according to the circular, will end on May 22.

Yemi-Esan reiterated that only officers in the mainstream of the Federal Civil Service who attained the substantive rank of director on Salary Grade Level 17 on or before January 1, 2018 and  had updated their records on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System verification portal are eligible to sit for the examination.

She added that to be eligible, such officials must be  from Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Cross River, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara States and should not be retiring from service earlier than on December 31, 2021.

Yemi-Esan in a circular issued in March indicated that 14 of the new permanent secretaries were meant to replace existing ones billed to retire this year, while the remaining two would fill existing vacancies.

According to the March 23 circular, the 14 states with permanent secretaries who will retire this year are Kebbi, Kwara, Abia, Anambra, Cross River, Kaduna, Kano, Oyo, Rivers, Sokoto, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe and Jigawa.

The two states with existing vacancies are Zamfara and Kogi.

The last time permanent secretaries were appointed was in December 2019 when the Federal Government approved the appointment of nine new permanent secretaries.  (Saturday Punch)