Expectations for President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet list have increased as he completes his first 40 days in office
In accordance with the law, Tinubu must appoint his cabinet within 60 days of taking the oath of office on May 29 and submit it to the Senate for approval.
Legislators and other Nigerians are eagerly awaiting the list of ministers who would help to deliver the President’s renewed hope agenda with less than 18 days left for him to present it to the National Assembly as stipulated by the constitution.
Report has it that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Department of State Services, and some security agencies were on the verge of completing their mandatory checks on the list.
It was gathered that the Department of State Services and members of the Presidential Strategic Team were running final checks on the people who had been listed as possible ministers.
Multiple Presidency sources said the list would be released very soon.
However, in readiness for the unveiling and resumption of the ministers, the FG has posted the confidential secretaries to various ministries where they are expected to work with the ministers whose names would be sent to the National Assembly for screening any moment now.
The memo with reference number HCSF/CMO/CPA/908II/101 exclusively obtained by our correspondent on Sunday revealed that 41 confidential secretaries have been chosen by the Federal Government to serve in the offices of ministers.
The circular dated July 5, 2023, noted that the secretaries will resume latest July 11, 2023.
It was titled, ‘Posting of Confidential Secretaries (SGL 13-14) in the pool of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation’ and signed on behalf of the HoS, Yemi-Esan, by the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi.
The memo was addressed to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; all permanent secretaries, the Department of State Services and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
It was also copied to the service chiefs and the Inspector- General of Police, the Governor, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the chairmen of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission; Economic and Financial Crimes Commission; Code of Conduct Bureau; Police Service Commission and Federal Character Commission.
Others who were also notified included the chairmen of Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission; Independent National Electoral Commission, National Population Commission; Federal Inland Revenue Service, Clerk of the National Assembly, among others.
A list attached to the memo said 13 of the secretaries had been posted to the ministries of works and housing, youths and sports development, education, industry, trade and investment, humanitarian affairs, OSGF, among others, to fill vacancies while the rest were posted to vice confidential secretaries who were earlier deployed in the ministries.
Some of the confidential secretaries are Oju Inyima who was deployed from the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs to the office of the Minister of Communication and Digital Communication; Osemeke Ogor of Agric and Rural Development Ministry who was posted to Water Resources; Onaivi Justina (Works and Housing) now posted to Petroleum Resources; Noimot Adewale (Transportation) but redeployed to Agric and Rural Development Ministry and Mbadiwe Cordelia (Education) but dispatched to Agric and Rural Development.
Also on the list are Nwosu Christiana (Communication and Digital Economy) who has been mobilized to Police Affairs; Adesina-Abioye Ololade (Youth and Sports Development) who was moved to the Transportation ministry; Ikade Aina (Science Tech and Innovation) who has been transferred to the Education ministry; Evan-Helen Igbokwe (Works and Housing) and Yusuf Sadiq (Water Resources) who have both been sent to the Education ministry.
The memo read partly, “I am directed to convey the approval of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation for the deployment of the following Confidential Secretaries SGL. 13-14 in the Federal Civil Service. Please note that this posting takes immediate effect.
“All Directors of Human Resources Management/Administration are required to submit details of compliance to this posting instruction to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation no later than Wednesday 12th July 2023.
“Please note that all deployed officers must be accepted and documented by the respective ministries as rejection of officers would not be condoned by the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. All handling over and taking over processes must be completed on or before Tuesday 11th July 2023.
“All officers concerned are reminded that failure to adhere to this posting instruction contravenes the provisions of the Public Service Rules 030301 (b) and will be met with appropriate sanctions.”
The Public Service Rules 030301(b) states that refusal to proceed on transfer or to accept posting is misconduct that is inimical to the image of the service and which can be investigated and proved. It can also lead to termination and retirement.”
Speaking in an interview with our correspondent, a high-placed civil servant noted that confidential secretaries were posted to work alongside ministers in their day-to-day activities.
He also noted that the confidential secretaries would be dispatched to the ministries this week.
The civil servant, who spoke under the condition of anonymity out of respect for civil service rules which prevent civil servants from speaking to the press, said, “In every ministry, you have a confidential secretary posted to the office of the minister. A minister may choose to work with the secretary or may decide to work with his or her own confidential secretary and in such cases, the confidential secretary may be moved to another office but will still be referred to as a confidential secretary.’’
“It is the Office of the Head of Service that posts confidential secretaries but other times, someone may be appointed from a ministry to be the confidential secretary in the ministry.
“The ones that are posted will work with the minister, that is if the minister wants, but it will be on record that the Head of Service posted someone there because anytime there is a vacancy, a ministry will request,’’ the official added.
Be the first to comment