Health Ministry Pulls The Plug On Veteran Directors – Immediate Retirement Ordered

The Federal Ministry of Health has ordered the immediate retirement of all directors who have served in their positions for at least eight years. According to Ireporter Online, the directive affects directors across the ministry, federal hospitals, and affiliated agencies.

A memo obtained in Abuja on Tuesday indicates that the order takes effect immediately and aligns with the federal government’s enforcement of tenure limits for senior officials. The policy forms part of a broader directive from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, which mandates that all ministries, departments, and agencies ensure that directors and permanent secretaries do not exceed their maximum tenure.

Signed by Tetshoma Dafeta, Director of the Office of the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Health, the memo instructs agency heads to ensure that affected directors promptly hand over all official documents and assets. It also mandates the suspension of salaries for retirees and requires repayment of any funds received beyond their official retirement date.

The ministry will monitor compliance, with officials from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service conducting checks to ensure adherence. Agencies are also required to submit a comprehensive list of directorate officers to the ministry for verification.

This directive follows the revised Public Service Rules introduced in 2023 and approved by the Federal Executive Council in 2021. Under the rules, permanent secretaries are limited to a four-year tenure, renewable based on performance, while directors or officers of equivalent rank are capped at eight years. Officials who fail to comply with the directive risk sanctions.