President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday night directed the embattled Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, to proceed on an indefinite leave, to allow smooth conduct of the ongoing investigation.
This was contained in a statement signed by Mr. Willie Bassey, Director Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Oyo-Ita was replaced by Dr. Yemi-Esan, who is the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
President Buhari also approved the extension of the tenure of seven retiring permanent secretaries for a period of one year, with effect from 1st October, 2019. The extension, the president said, was “to ensure stability in the Federal Civil Service and effective delivery on the nine priority areas of the administration as well as the mandates given to the new ministers.”
The statement reads, “Mrs. Yemi-Esan, who is the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, takes over from Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, who has been directed to proceed on an indefinite leave to allow conclusion of the investigation being carried out by @officialEFCC.
“The President has also approved the extension of the tenure of seven (7) retiring Permanent Secretaries for a period of one calendar year with effect from 1st October, 2019 to ensure stability in the Federal Civil Service and effective delivery on the nine priority areas of the administration as well as the mandates given to the new Ministers.
“The seven retiring Permanent Secretaries whose tenures are being extended by the President for a period of one calendar year are: Mrs Georgina Ehuriah (Interior), Mrs Ifeoma I. Anagbogu (Women Affairs), Mrs Grace Gekpe (Information and Culture), Dr Umar M. Bello (Agriculture and Rural Development), Suleiman Mustapha Lawal (Foreign Affairs), Mrs Comfort C. Ekaro (Water Resources) and Mr Olusegun A. Adekunle (General Services Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation).
It was gathered that four out of the seven permanent secretaries were due for retirement by the end of this month. One of the sources confided that the extension followed intense lobby by the beneficiaries through influential persons around the government.
