The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) has directed the immediate disengagement of directors who have spent eight years in the directorate cadre, in line with the Federal Government’s tenure policy.

The affected officers include directors serving in the ministry, federal hospitals, agencies, and parastatals, according to an internal memo sighted in Abuja on Tuesday.

The development follows an earlier directive reported by The PUNCH, which revealed that the Federal Government had instructed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to enforce the eight-year tenure limit for directors and permanent secretaries. The enforcement was communicated through the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

In a circular signed by Tetshoma Dafeta, Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Health, the ministry reiterated compliance with the Eight-Year Tenure Policy of the Federal Public Service as stipulated in the Revised Public Service Rules (PSR 020909).

The memo stated that all directors who had completed eight years in the rank as of December 31, 2025, must be disengaged from service with immediate effect.

It further directed heads of agencies and parastatals to ensure that affected officers hand over all official documents and government property immediately. The circular also ordered the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) Unit to stop the salaries of affected officers and recover any emoluments paid beyond their effective date of disengagement.

The directive referenced a circular issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Ref. No. HSCF/3065/Vol.I/225, dated February 10, 2026, stressing that compliance would be monitored and that failure to adhere would attract sanctions.

Additionally, institutions were instructed to forward the nominal roll of all directorate officers on CONMESS 07, CONHESS 15, and CONRAISS 15 to designated official email addresses for review. Officials from the Office of the Head of the Civil Service and the ministry are expected to conduct monitoring exercises to ensure strict compliance.

Recall that in July 2023, the former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, announced the operationalisation of the revised Public Service Rules following approval by the Federal Executive Council in September 2021.

Speaking during the 2023 Civil Service Week lecture at the State House, Abuja, Yemi-Esan stated that the revised rules took effect from July 27, 2023.

Section 020909 of the Revised Public Service Rules provides that permanent secretaries are to serve a four-year tenure, renewable only upon satisfactory performance, while directors on Grade Level 17 and their equivalents shall compulsorily retire after eight years in the position.