The Federal Government has approved the redeployment of 331 civil servants on directorate level in a major shakeup cutting across all ministries.

The redeployment came barely one week after the government redeployed 13 out of the nation’s 40 permanent secretaries and deployed 12 new ones inaugurated last week Wednesday.

In the civil service, those on directorate level are directors who are on Salary Grade Level 17; deputy directors on SGL 16; and assistant directors on SGL 15.

The mass redeployment of the top government officials was contained in a circular dated September 3, 2020 and obtained by our correspondent on Friday.

The circular signed by the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Mahmuda Mamman, on behalf of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, was titled “Approved posting of directorate level officers in GL 15-17 under the pool of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.”

The circular directed that all handing and taking over processes by the officials should be completed on or before Friday, September 11, 2020.

“Any disregard for this deployment shall be treated in accordance with the provisions of the Public Service Rule 030301 (b),” the circular read in part.

The aspect of the rule referred to, which is under Section 3 that focuses on misconduct, identifies refusal to proceed on transfer or to accept posting as a form of misconduct.

The section further defines misconduct as a specific act of wrongdoing or an improper behaviour which is inimical to the image of the service and which can be investigated and proved.

According to the rule, such behaviours can lead to termination of appointment and retirement.

A breakdown of the 331 affected officials showed that they include 311 administrative officers and 20 professional officers.

In the case of administrative officers, 67 directors; 102 deputy directors; and 142 assistant directors were affected in the shakeup.

For the professional officers, eight directors; five deputy directors and seven assistant directors were redeployed.

The purposes of redeployment of the officials as indicated on the circular include filling vacancies, to understudying retiring officials and deputising for officials, and in some cases, based on requests.

Yemi-Esan had in a circular dated August 28, 2020, announced the approval of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), for the deployment of 12 new permanent secretaries and re-deployment of 13 permanent secretaries.

For the 12 new permanent secretaries inaugurated by the President last week Wednesday, Babangida Hussaini was posted to the Ministry of Defence; Yerim Tarfa to Ministry of Labour and Employment; Bayayo Ardo to Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs; Adaora Anyanwutaku to Ministry of Women Affairs; Anthonia Ekpa to Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Oluwatoyin Akinlade to Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, among others. (Saturday Punch)

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