The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, has denied engaging in a secret re-deployment of permanent secretaries, saying it is a routine exercise to enhance the operations of the federal workforce.
There have been complaints from some quarters that the HoCSF carried out a secret redeployment of some federal permanent secretaries a few days before the end of the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Those affected included Dr Shuaib Belgore who was redeployed from the Ministry of Interior to Niger Delta Affairs; Dr Oluwatoyin Akinlade redeployed from Mines and Steel Development to the Ministry of Interior; and Mr James Sule, redeployed from Cabinet Affairs Office to the Ministry of Science and Technology.
“The fact that the exercise was not announced, kept a secret, and those affected were simply invited to the office of the HoCSF to receive their letters,” a senior government official said.
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But reacting to the development, the Director, Press and Public Relations in the Office of the HoCSF, Mr Mohammed Ahmed, said the re-deployment is routine administrative work.
“It is not every time that we issue press releases on such re-deployment, is it not a routine administrative work? This is a rumour. Does the re-deployment of permanent secretaries have anything to do with the change in government?
“It is a routine administrative exercise. Permanent secretaries were appointed at the twilight of the previous administration. This has nothing to do with change in government,” he said.
