222 federal directors fail perm secs exams as Senate probes exams

Two hundred and twenty-two of the 300 directors from ministries,
department and agencies of the federal government MDAs who sat for
the examinations to fill the 20 vacant positions of federal
permanent secretaries have failed, Daily Trust findings
revealed.

Of the 300 that sat for the examination on “Relevant Public
Service and Policy Issues” held at the National Defence College
(NDC) Auditorium, Abuja on Monday only 78 passed.

The successful candidates yesterday sat for the second level
“Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Assessment Test”
held at the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) Utako, Abuja.

The 78 directors will today attend the third and final level
“Oral Interview/Interactive Session” at the Office of the Head of
the Civil Service of Federation in Abuja.

The week-long exercise was announced in separate memos by the
Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office (CMO) in the Office
of Head of Service of the Federation (OHoCSF) Dr. Folasade
Yemi-Esan.

Our reporters who visited the centre saw the Head of the Civil
Service of the Federation (HoCSF) Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita leading the
technical committee and other federal officers to supervise
yesterday’s Computer Based Test (CBT) exercise.

In line with the Federal Character Principle one permanent
secretary is appointed per state as well as the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT).

The states which successful candidates will represent as
permanent secretaries are Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa,
Cross-River, Delta, Edo and Ekiti, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina,
Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto and the
FCT.

The change in policy for the federal permanent secretaries to
write examinations is said to be part of the resolutions of the
National Council on Establishment (NEC) held July 2016 in Minna,
Niger State.

Senate probes exams

Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday mandated its committee on
Establishment and Public Service to probe the ongoing examinations,
after a point of order was raised by Senator Philip Aduda (PDP,
FCT) on exclusion of three directors who sat for the
examination.

Citing an exclusive report in Daily Trust on the examination,
Aduda said the three directors sat for the examination alongside
their colleagues but that their names were omitted.

“Three directors from the FCT wrote the exams and they were
supposed to be called but their names were somehow removed. I
therefore seek the intervention of the Senate to ensure that the
FCT is not omitted on line with the federal character, “he
said.

Senate President Bukola Saraki asked the committee chaired by
Senator Emmanuel Paulker (PDP, Bayelsa) to immediately look into
the matter.

Two hundred and twenty-two of the 300 directors from ministries,
department and agencies of the federal government MDAs who sat for
the examinations to fill the 20 vacant positions of federal
permanent secretaries have failed, Daily Trust findings revealed.

Of the 300 that sat for the examination on “Relevant Public
Service and Policy Issues” held at the National Defence College
(NDC) Auditorium, Abuja on Monday only 78 passed.

The successful candidates yesterday sat for the second level
“Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Assessment Test”
held at the Digital Bridge Institute (DBI) Utako, Abuja.

The 78 directors will today attend the third and final level
“Oral Interview/Interactive Session” at the Office of the Head of
the Civil Service of Federation in Abuja.

The week-long exercise was announced in separate memos by the
Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office (CMO) in the Office
of Head of Service of the Federation (OHoCSF) Dr. Folasade
Yemi-Esan.

Our reporters who visited the centre saw the Head of the Civil
Service of the Federation (HoCSF) Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita leading the
technical committee and other federal officers to supervise
yesterday’s Computer Based Test (CBT) exercise.

In line with the Federal Character Principle one permanent
secretary is appointed per state as well as the Federal Capital
Territory (FCT).

The states which successful candidates will represent as
permanent secretaries are Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa,
Cross-River, Delta, Edo and Ekiti, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina,
Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto and the
FCT.

The change in policy for the federal permanent secretaries to
write examinations is said to be part of the resolutions of the
National Council on Establishment (NEC) held July 2016 in Minna,
Niger State.

Senate probes exams

Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday mandated its committee on
Establishment and Public Service to probe the ongoing examinations,
after a point of order was raised by Senator Philip Aduda (PDP,
FCT) on exclusion of three directors who sat for the
examination.

Citing an exclusive report in Daily Trust on the examination,
Aduda said the three directors sat for the examination alongside
their colleagues but that their names were omitted.

“Three directors from the FCT wrote the exams and they were
supposed to be called but their names were somehow removed. I
therefore seek the intervention of the Senate to ensure that the
FCT is not omitted on line with the federal character, “he
said.

Senate President Bukola Saraki asked the committee chaired by
Senator Emmanuel Paulker (PDP, Bayelsa) to immediately look into
the matter.