The Federal Ministry of Health has directed the immediate retirement of directors who have spent eight years or more in the directorate cadre across its departments, agencies and federal health institutions.
The directive was contained in an internal memo obtained by our correspondent in Abuja on Tuesday, mandating affected officials to disengage from service without delay in line with existing public service regulations.
The development follows an earlier directive by the Federal Government instructing all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to strictly enforce the eight year tenure limit for directors and permanent secretaries, in accordance with a deadline issued through the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.
In the memo signed by the Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary at the ministry, Tetshoma Dafeta, management reminded agencies of the compulsory retirement policy contained in the Revised Public Service Rules 2021, which requires directors to exit the service after spending eight years in the rank.
The circular directed heads of agencies and parastatals to ensure that all affected officers, particularly those who completed eight years as of December 31, 2025, immediately hand over official responsibilities and government property.
It also ordered the stoppage of their salaries through the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System while any payments made beyond their disengagement date must be refunded to government coffers.
The ministry further instructed institutions to submit the nominal roll of directorate officers within specified salary structures to designated official email addresses, noting that compliance monitoring would be carried out jointly by officials from the Head of Civil Service office and the ministry.
According to the memo, failure to comply with the directive would attract strict sanctions against defaulting institutions or officers.
The policy is rooted in the revised Public Service Rules introduced after approval by the Federal Executive Council and formally implemented from July 27, 2023, following an announcement by the then Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, during activities marking the 2023 Civil Service Week.
Under Section 020909 of the revised rules, permanent secretaries are limited to a four year tenure subject to renewal based on performance, while directors on Grade Level 17 or their equivalents are required to retire compulsorily after eight years in the position.