PREMIUM TIMES specifically requested the reactions of the officials to the perceived refusal of the National Universities Commission (NUC) to implement the directive as contained in a circular earlier issued by Mrs Yemi-Esan.
Nigeria's leading investigative newspaper, PREMIUM TIMES, has written to the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, a professor, and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, asking them to provide clarifications on the eight-year-tenure policy for directors as contained in the revised Public Service Rules (PSR), 2021.
This newspaper also requested if there are certain exceptions to the rule and to provide possible reasons for what it regarded as selective implementation in the ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the government.
PREMIUM TIMES specifically requested the reactions of the officials to the perceived refusal of the National Universities Commission (NUC) to implement the directive as contained in a circular earlier issued by Mrs Yemi-Esan.
"This request by PREMIUM TIMES is meant to facilitate a follow-up to the newspaper's earlier report on the subject as we have pledged to be committed to the promotion of ethical values of transparency and accountability as supreme pillars of good governance and democracy," the letter reads in part.
This letter is a continuation of exclusive reports by this newspaper exposing how certain individuals at the NUC continued to violate the PSR while the supervising Ministry of Education and the office of the head of the civil service looked away.
Earlier Reporting
PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday published a story, detailing the observed non-compliance to the tenure limit policy by NUC.
The reports identified three officials of the agencies who may have been affected by the policy but refused to retire as mandated by the policy.
The officials are; Deputy Executive Secretaries (DES) for Academics and Administration, Noel Saliu and Chris Maiyaki, as well as Constance Goddy-Nnadi, the Director in charge of the Establishment of Private Universities.
The Head of Civil Service wrote the heads of all MDAs on 27 July 2023, directing them to begin the implementation of the nation's revised Public Service Rules, 2021.
Part of the revised PSR is the tenure policy stating that all government employees who have attained the position of director or its equivalent must retire upon serving for eight years.
"A director or its equivalent by whatever nomenclature it is described in MDAs shall compulsorily retire upon serving eight years on the post," the PSR reads in part.
But three NUC directors listed in the PREMIUM TIMES story -- Messrs Maiyaki and Salihu and Mrs Goddy-Nnadi-- have continued to violate this policy without consequence, as exposed in our story.
The NUC, education ministry and the Office of the Head of Service, failed to provide answers to PREMIUM TIMES enquiries during our previous reporting.
Report unsettles NUC
However, this newspaper has gathered that the report is ruffling feathers at the NUC and the management of the commission is now looking to save itself from public scrutiny arising from the reports.
We were reliably informed that a management meeting was held at the NUC on Wednesday to discuss the issues around the implementation of the PSR.
Curiously, this never happened since PREMIUM TIMES' first letter to the government agency in December, seeking answers. Also, multiple phone calls and messages seeking responses from the NUC authorities were not answered.
At Wednesday's management meeting, the Acting Director of Human Resources, Victoria Omorodion, presented a position paper detailing her findings on the PSR, especially as it relates to the eight-year-tenure limit for directors.
She recommended that directors who may have spent eight years serving in such a capacity should prepare to retire.
She also suggested a further inquiry be carried out on the applicability of the policy to two deputy executive secretaries at the agency --Messrs Maiyaki and Saliu-- who have also spent more than eight years as directors.
According to her, the difference in the salary scales used for the payment of the directors and the deputy executive secretaries was one of the reasons for the perceived confusion.
"The circular indicated that a director or its equivalent by whatever nomenclature it is described shall compulsorily retire after 8 years on the post. However, the NUC Act. CAP. N81 provides for the appointment of a Deputy Executive Secretary to assist the Executive Secretary in the exercise of his duties. It is noteworthy to state that the salary scale for the post of Deputy Executive Secretary in the Commission is CONTOPSAL, while that of a Director is CONTISS 16 and appointment to the position of DES is on availability of vacancy and seniority (the most senior Director)," she wrote in the position paper, a copy of which this newspaper exclusively obtained.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"The post of a Director and DES are two distinct appointments. Therefore, the 8-year tenure for Director does not affect the Deputy Executive Secretary Secretary.
However, the Directorate would seek further clarification on the status/nomenclature of the DES from the office of Head of Civil Service of the Federation immediately."
Possible Action?
PREMIUM TIMES learnt that the meeting concluded to await the findings by the human resources unit to decide on the fate of the concerned officials. It is, however, not clear if Mrs Goddy-Nnady will be asked to vacate her office as suggested by Mrs Omorodion's position paper.
Meanwhile, officials at the FME who craved anonymity argued that the deputy executive secretaries "were only trying to buy time."
This newspaper however awaits the response of both the education minister, Mr Mamman, and the head of the civil service of the federal, Mrs Yemi-Esan, to its letter seeking clarifications.
Qosim Suleiman is a reporter at Premium Times in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe
