FG To Restore Tenure Policy For Directors, Perm Secs

The Federal government is to restore the tenure policy for Directors and Permanent Secretaries in the revised Public Service Rule PSR, to compulsory retirement upon serving eight years on the post.

The Head Service of the Federation Dr. Folashade Yemi Esan made this known at the opening ceremony of the 2020/2021 meetings of the separate and Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council in Abuja.

The meeting was an interface between the government and the labour unions to examine critical matters bordering on the welfare and conditions of service of workers in the public service for optimal performance.

The Head Civil Service of the Federation said “the restoration of the Tenure Policy in the revised PSR, a Director or its equivalent by whatever nomenclature shall compulsorily retire upon serving eight years on the post; and a Permanent Secretary shall hold office for a term of four years which is renewable for a further term of four years, subject to satisfactorily performance and no more.”

Dr. Yemi-Esan who explained that reforms would require the support of labour unions to ensure the effectiveness of the reforms maintained that aside the tenure ship,, the federal government would improve the welfare of its workforce through training and remuneration.

According to her, “For us in the public sector and in his understanding and continued commitment to the welfare of civil servants and as part of the Administration’s response to mitigate the adverse economic effects of COVID-19, it is worth noting that Mr. President ensured that no civil servant was owed salaries or laid off.”

Earlier, The President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba who commended the Federal government on it’s various reforms called for improved welfare for civil servants in areas of housing and pension to discourage corruption in the service.

“Beside salaries, there are other concerns that are fundamental to Nigerian workers with very significant implications for the current pandemic. One is housing. It is public knowledge that majority of our civil servants commute from very far residences to work in the city center in Abuja and other state capitals and urban locations in Nigeria.”

Comrade Wabba further urged government not to relent in reviewing salaries as there were differences between minimum wage and salary review.

“Many of our civil servants want the retirement age pegged at sixty-five years of age or forty years of service. This will save many workers the trauma of early retirement. There is also the issue of loss of experience occasioned by gaps in civil service staffing especially given the current ban on employment in the public sector. We also demand that workers who retire are paid their gratuity as and when due as provided for in the schedules for gratuity in the Pension Reform Act of 2014.” Ayuba added

Other stakeholders at the occasion urge Nigerians to cooperate with government in winning the war against Covid.

The theme of the meeting is “Labour/Government Relations in the Post Covid-19 Era”.