- The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) has ordered the immediate disengagement of all Directors who have spent at least eight years in the directorate cadre
- The move is part of enforcing the eight-year tenure policy for directors as outlined in the Revised Public Service Rules 2021 (PSR 020909)
- Non-compliance with the directive will attract strict sanctions, as reinforced by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation
The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) has directed the immediate disengagement of all Directors who have served at least eight years in the directorate cadre.
The directive affects officials in the ministry, federal hospitals, agencies, and other related institutions, according to a memo obtained by our correspondent in Abuja on Tuesday, February 17.
On Monday, February 16, The PUNCH exclusively reported that the Federal Government had instructed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to enforce the eight-year tenure limit for directors and permanent secretaries, following a new deadline set by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
The FMOH memo announcing the enforcement, signed by Tetshoma Dafeta, Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, states:
“Further to the Eight (8)-Year Tenure Policy of the Federal Public Service, which mandates the compulsory retirement of Directors after eight years in that rank, as provided in the Revised Public Service Rules 2021(PSR 020909) copy attached, I am directed to remind you to take necessary action to ensure that all affected officers who have spent eight years as Directors, effective 31st December, 2025, are disengaged from Service immediately.
“Accordingly, all Heads of Agencies and Parastatals are by this circular, to ensure that the affected staff hand over all official documents/possessions with immediate effect, their salaries are stopped by the IPPIS Unit and mandate the officers to refund to the treasury all emoluments paid after their effective date of disengagement.
“This is reiterated in a circular recently issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Ref. No. HSCF/3065/Vol.I/225, dated 10″ February 2026. A copy is herewith attached for guidance, please.
“In addition, you are to forward the nominal roll of all directorate officers (CONMESS 07/CONHESS 15/CONRAISS 15) in your institution, send to DHRM@health.gov.ng and Agudosi.obinna@health.gov.ng. You may please note that officials from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Ministry will conduct a monitoring exercise to ensure compliance.
“Failure to adhere to paragraph 2 above shall be met with stiff sanctions.”
The directive aligns with the revised Public Service Rules (PSR), which were first announced in July 2023 by the former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan.
Speaking at a lecture at the State House, Abuja, to mark the 2023 Civil Service Week, Yemi-Esan stated that the revised PSR took effect from July 27, 2023.
The Head of Service had issued a circular addressed to Permanent Secretaries, the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Auditor-General for the Federation, and heads of extra-ministerial departments, informing them of the updated rules.
The circular read: “Following the approval of the revised Public Service Rules (PSR) by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on September 27, 2021, and its subsequent unveiling during the public service lecture in commemoration of the 2023 Civil Service Week, the PSR has become operational with effect from July 27, 2023.”
Under Section 020909 of the revised PSR, the tenure limit for permanent secretaries is four years, with the possibility of renewal based only on satisfactory performance.
The rules also stipulate that a director (GL 17) or their equivalent shall compulsorily retire after eight years in that position.