**Headline:** Over 10 Long-Serving Directors in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory Administration Defy Retirement Mandat
**Keywords:** Directors, Federal Capital Territory Administration, retirement, Public Service Rules, compliance, tenure policy, Head of Civil Service, FCT Minister, directive, operational, non-compliance
In a surprising turn of events, more than ten high-ranking directors within the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have disregarded the newly revised Public Service Rules, which require their mandatory retirement after serving over eight years in office. Despite the rules taking effect on July 27, 2023, these directors, who have spent between nine and twelve years on the directorate cadre, have yet to comply with the retirement directive.
The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan, issued a memo on July 27, addressing Permanent Secretaries, the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Auditor-General of the Federation, and other relevant officials. The memo mandated strict adherence to the updated rules, which also introduced a tenure policy for permanent secretaries, necessitating a maximum of four years in office, renewable based on performance.
Among those impacted by the new rule are Bashir Muhammad, the Director of Human Resource Management, and Dabara Vingo, the counterpart at the Christian Pilgrimage Board. These directors, along with others, have failed to vacate their positions, even though Muhammad had previously circulated the HoS directive on the rule’s implementation.
Sources within the FCTA revealed that Muhammad had made an unusual request for a three-month extension to his tenure, which has not been approved. The refusal of these officials to comply with the revised PSR has raised concerns among FCTA employees, prompting hopes that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike would intervene to address the issue promptly.
Notably, an anonymous source from the Federal Ministry of Health reported that several directors affected by the tenure policy in other departments had retired as directed by the Head of Service. However, the situation within the FCTA remains unresolved, with the future actions of the non-compliant directors uncertain. Despite efforts to reach Muhammad for comment, his phone has remained switched off, leaving the situation in further limbo.
As the standoff continues, the FCTA and concerned parties eagerly await a resolution, while the broader implications of this defiance raise questions about the enforcement of regulations within the public sector.
