The Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, has been sent on indefinite leave, by President Muhammadu Buhari.
This action was said to have been taken to allow the conclusion of the investigation being carried out by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, over alleged N3 billion contract scam she is said to be involved in.
Already, Mrs. Yemi-Esan, who is the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources has been directed to take over from Oyo-Ita, in acting capacity.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Willie Bassey, the president also approved the extension of the tenure of seven retiring Permanent Secretaries for a period of one calendar year with effect from 1st October, 2019.
The move is said to have been made to ensure stability in the Federal Civil Service and effective delivery on the nine priority areas of the administration as well as the mandates given to the new ministers.
The affected Permanent Secretaries are Mrs. Georgina Ehuriah, Ministry of Interior; Mrs. Ifeoma I. Anagbogu, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs; Mrs. Grace Gekpe, Federal Ministry of Information & Culture and Dr. Umar M. Bello, Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development.
Others are Suleiman Mustapha Lawal, Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Mrs. Comfort C. Ekaro, Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Mr. Olusegun A. Adekunle, General Services Office (Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation).
Similarly, the president directed the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to commence the process for the selection of new Permanent Secretaries to replace all retiring Permanent Secretaries.
The decision of Government to extend the tenure of these Permanent Secretaries is said to have been premised on the need to ensure that the new ministers are properly guided, briefed about their sectors and to ensure that a solid foundation is laid for the delivery on the Presidential Mandate which they jointly signed.
The Permanent Secretaries it was said, would also help the ministers to manage the process for the preparation of the 2020 Budget in line with the commitment of government to return to the January-December budget circle and help develop various policies and programmes aimed at lifting 100million Nigerians out of poverty in the next ten years.
The action of the president is said to be in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 171 (2) d of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
