SUNTV Global Channel Report
The Federal Ministry of Health has ordered the immediate disengagement of all directors who have spent eight years in the directorate cadre, enforcing a long-standing tenure policy within Nigeria’s Federal Public Service.
The directive affects directors serving at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, as well as those in federal hospitals, agencies, and parastatals under its supervision. Officials who had completed eight years in the rank as of December 31, 2025, are now required to step aside without delay.
According to an internal memo obtained by The PUNCH, the order was signed by Tetshoma Dafeta, who oversees the Office of the Permanent Secretary at the ministry. The memo emphasized that the move aligns with the Revised Public Service Rules 2021, which mandate compulsory retirement for directors after eight years in that position.
The circular instructed heads of agencies and institutions to ensure that affected officers immediately hand over all official documents and government property. It also directed that their salaries be stopped through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) and warned that any payments received beyond their effective disengagement date must be refunded to the government treasury.
The ministry referenced an earlier circular issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on February 10, 2026, which reiterated strict compliance with the eight-year tenure policy.
Additionally, all institutions were ordered to submit comprehensive nominal rolls of directorate officers for monitoring purposes, as officials from both the ministry and the civil service office are expected to conduct compliance checks.
Authorities warned that failure to implement the directive would attract stiff sanctions, signaling a firm push to fully enforce tenure limits across the federal health sector.
