Sequel to the removal of the Head of Service of the Frderation, Mr. Danladi Kisafi, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday replaced him with Mrs Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, current Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology.
The new Head of Service is 51-years old, a chartered accountant, who hails from Cross River State, is to be there in an acting capacity, though the office does not require Senate approval but a direct presidential appointment.
This is as sources hinted
that the president might consider retiring all permanent secretaries
that have spent more than four years considered to be the end of the
first tenure.
Permanent Secretaries are entitled to two terms of eight years only under the tenure regime the Umaru Yar’Adua administration put in place in 2009.
Oyo-Ita Ekanem hails from Adiabo community of Odukpani Local Council of Cross Rivers State, was born in April 1964, educated at the Queens College Yaba, graduated at the University of Lagos in 1984 with B.Sc Accounting and holds a Master’s degree from the Nasarawa State University.
She was Director, Finance and Accounts at the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).
Before her appointment as the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology in April 2014, Oyo-Ita was Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs.
However, Mr Kifasi is expected clock 60 on January, 1, 2016 and was also due for retirement then, after reaching the statutory age of retirment age.
His last day would have been December 31, 2015. He would have proceeded on three months pre-retirement leave since the beginning of October, if he were to observe his terminal leave.
Permanent Secretaries are entitled to two terms of eight years only under the tenure regime the Umaru Yar’Adua administration put in place in 2009.
Oyo-Ita Ekanem hails from Adiabo community of Odukpani Local Council of Cross Rivers State, was born in April 1964, educated at the Queens College Yaba, graduated at the University of Lagos in 1984 with B.Sc Accounting and holds a Master’s degree from the Nasarawa State University.
She was Director, Finance and Accounts at the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).
Before her appointment as the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology in April 2014, Oyo-Ita was Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs.
However, Mr Kifasi is expected clock 60 on January, 1, 2016 and was also due for retirement then, after reaching the statutory age of retirment age.
His last day would have been December 31, 2015. He would have proceeded on three months pre-retirement leave since the beginning of October, if he were to observe his terminal leave.