Health Ministry directs immediate retirement of senior directors

The Federal Ministry of Health has ordered the immediate removal of all directors who have served eight years in the directorate cadre across its offices, federal hospitals, and affiliated agencies.

The directive, communicated in a memo signed by Tetshoma Dafeta, Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, implements the eight-year tenure policy as stipulated in the Revised Public Service Rules 2021.

The memo instructs heads of agencies and parastatals to ensure affected directors hand over all official documents and possessions, halt their salaries through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), and refund any emoluments paid beyond their disengagement date.

Officials are also required to submit the nominal roll of all directorate officers to the ministry’s human resources unit. The ministry warned that failure to comply would attract strict sanctions.

The enforcement follows a wider federal directive on tenure limits, which sets four years for permanent secretaries—with possible renewal only based on performance—and eight years for directors or their equivalents. These rules became operational on July 27, 2023, following approval by the Federal Executive Council and circulars issued by the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

The move underscores the federal government’s commitment to ensuring adherence to tenure regulations and promoting efficiency, accountability, and orderly succession in public service leadership.