As exclusively reported by LEADERSHIP on Wednesday, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday appointed Alhaji Bukar Goni Aji as the new Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

The president had yesterday, while swearing in three new permanent secretaries at a ceremony involving the send-off ceremony for the outgone HoS, confirmed the paper's story that he was going to name the new HoS yesterday.

According to a statement by Dr. Reuben Abati, special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Aji will take over from Alhaji Isa Bello Sali who will attain the mandatory retirement age of 60 on Saturday, March 23, 2013.

Until his new appointment, Abati stated, Aji was the Permanent Secretary, Common Services Office, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

Abati gave an insight into Aji's profile: "Alhaji Goni hails from Yobe State and was born on January 13, 1959. He attended Government College, Maiduguri, Borno College of Basic Studies, Maiduguri and graduated from the University of Maiduguri in 1984.

"A career civil servant, Alhaji Goni has held several key positions at the state and federal levels including Chief Administrative Officer, Governor's Office, Maiduguri (1989-1991), Principal Secretary to the Military Administrator of Yobe State (1991-1992), Principal Secretary to the First Civilian Governor of Yobe State (1992-1993) and Principal Secretary to the 2nd Military Administrator of Yobe State (1993-1995).

"Alhaji Goni was appointed Director, Planning, Research and Statistics at the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs in 1995, and moved to the Federal Ministry of Defence in the year 2000 as Director of Personnel Management.

"He was appointed Permanent Secretary in 2009 and posted to the Ministry of Defence. He later served as Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Police Affairs (August, 2009 - August, 2010) and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Works (September, 2011 - November, 2012)".