Federal Ministry of Health has directed the immediate retirement of directors who have spent eight years or more in the directorate cadre, in line with the Federal Government’s tenure policy for senior civil servants.
In a memo dated February 10 and sighted in Abuja on Tuesday, the ministry instructed that all officers who had completed eight years in the rank as of December 31, 2025, be disengaged from service without delay.
The circular, signed by Tetshoma Dafeta, director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, mandated heads of agencies, parastatals and federal health institutions to ensure that affected officers hand over official documents and government property immediately.
It also directed that the salaries of the officers be stopped through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System, warning that any emoluments received beyond their retirement date must be refunded to the treasury.
According to the memo, the directive aligns with an earlier communication from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation reinforcing the enforcement of the eight-year tenure limit across Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Under Section 020909 of the Revised Public Service Rules 2021, directors on Grade Level 17 or its equivalent are required to compulsorily retire after eight years in the position.
Permanent secretaries are limited to a four-year term, renewable based on satisfactory performance.
The revised rules were approved by the Federal Executive Council in September 2021 and became operational on July 27, 2023.
Their implementation was formally announced by then Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, during activities marking the 2023 Civil Service Week.
The health ministry warned that failure to comply with the directive would attract stiff sanctions and instructed institutions under its supervision to submit nominal rolls of all directorate officers for monitoring.
Officials from the civil service office and the ministry are expected to begin compliance checks in the coming weeks.
