The Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, OHCSF, Tuesday afternoon published on its website the result of the written exam it conducted for Directors from different states across the nation to fill vacant positions of permanent secretaries in the Federal Civil Service.

According to a circular with reference number HCSF/PS/CMO/178/VOL.11/85, dated 7th November 2023, those that passed the written exam have been invited for proficiency test tomorrow, Wednesday, November 8, at 8.am. The test is to take place at the Muhammadu Buhari Centre, National Intelligence Agency, Asokoro Abuja by 10 am.

A close examination of the circular, reveals that out of the 85 Directors cleared to sit for the written exam, 61 of them failed to meet the minimum mark of 50 percent as only 20 of them passed, while the other four candidates were absent perhaps for fear of going through the rigours which the selection machinery put in place by the office is known for or forother reasons best known to the candidates.

The circular with the title: ‘Result of the written examination for the appointment of permanent secretaries conduction on 6th November 2023, was signed by Dr. Ernest Afolabi, Umakhihe, on behalf of the examination committee.

Attempts to get in touch with the undersigned, the Head of Service of the Federation or any member of the committee has been futile up to the point of publishing as it is gathered from the grapevine that all examiners are kept in isolation from the rest of the world during the process.

Some civil servants whom we spoke to and pleaded not to be mentioned on the matter for fear of been identified described the issue or system of upholding merit in the appointment of permanent secretaries in the federal civil service as a very welcome development and innovation. According to them, the system which has been enforced for some years now since the coming of the current Head of the Civil Service, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esanhas visibly produced more seasoned officers to take up the strategic position of

permanent secretaryas only the best that are selected. According to them, the number of officers who scaled through the first stage only goes to show that this exam is not about filling vacancies for states but about the quality of officers the service can produce. “It’s not about the quantity but the quality of the permanent secretaries”, an officer stated.

Some other civil servants were also of the opinion that the space to compete for the position should be broadened with the aim of showcasing the many other talents in the service who may not be eligible to sit and most especially had been stagnated and suppressed due to the previously suspended eight-year tenure policy in the Federal civil service.

Some of the Officers who are now in theIntermediate directorate cadre in the service told Nationwide Reports that “our Hopes of rising to become full directors or even permanent secretaries are now Renewed. We want to thank Mr. President for his continuous support for meritocracy in the service because honestly we don’t have any God father”.

We also gathered that In spite of mudslinging, blackmail and spurious petitions sponsored by vested interests, the Administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has insisted that the Civil Service must stick to meritocracy rather than succumb to threats and blackmail.

”The space to compete for the position should be broadened with the aim of showcasing the many other talents in the service who may not be eligible to sit and most especially had been stagnated and suppressed due to the previously suspended eight-year tenure policy in the Federal civil service”.

Some of the officers pointed out that “The issue is that most Nigerians are used to cutting corners, bribery and the use of influential people like governors, ministers, senators, traditional rulers, religious leaders and others such ‘powerful’ people to get appointment as permanent secretaries in the federal civil service.

“To end the use of such mediocre approach in selecting permanent secretaries, the current leadership of the Office had approached the presidency during the era of former president Muhammadu

Buhari who approved the policy of conducting written examination followed by proficiency test in order to ensure that the most qualified and competent directors are appointed as permanent secretaries.

The resort to this rigorous process of appointment became necessary in order to comply with international best practices, in
view of the fact that permanent secretaries are the actual policy formulators in the federal ministries who are supposed to guide the politicians appointed as ministers,” they stated.

“We need to emphasise meritocracy and the protection of the integrity of the selection process of permanent Secretaries. It should not be about the number of successful candidates but the quality of the candidates that would eventually emerge.”

They therefore called on the government to resist pressure from lobbyists who are ready to resort to all manner of parochial sentiment including ethnicity and religion in attempt to revert back to the inglorious past when everything is allowed to go through.