President Bola Tinubu has officiated the induction of eight new Federal Permanent Secretaries to address current and anticipated vacancies in various states and geopolitical zones within the senior administrative echelons of the Civil Service of the Federation.

President Tinubu administered the oath of office to the Permanent Secretaries before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council meeting.

The appointees emerged after stages of the selection process by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation. Comprising a written ICT tests.

The appointees are Dr Emanso Umobong Okop of Akwa-Ibom State, Obi Emeka Vitalis of Anambra State, Fatima Mahmood Sugra Tabi’a of Bauchi State and Danjuma Mohammed Sanusi of Jigawa State

Others are Olusanya Olubunmi-Ondo, Dr Keshinro Maryam Ismaila of Zamfara State, Akujobi Chinyere Ijeoma (South-East) and Isokpunwu Christopher Osaruwanmwen (South-South).

Before the commencement of the process, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume announced that the FEC meeting was divided into two segments, the swearing of the New Permanent Secretaries and the Council meeting.

During the ceremony, Ajuri Ngelale, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, announced the names of the new Permanent Secretaries and presented their credentials before they took the oath of office administered by President Bola Tinubu.

Also, the Council meeting applauded the re-election of President Tinubu as the Chairman of the Authority of Heads of State and Government.

Akume said, “Africa has seen a committed leader and once again saw the need to re-appoint the president as their leader.

“Cabinet members congratulate you, Mr President and we believe that you will continue to do your best. You have our support and loyalty is one hundred per cent,” he said.

Also sworn in was Dr Emeka Obi, from Anambra State, who joined the Federal Civil Service on Feb. 5, 2001 as a Dental Officer Grade Level 12 in the State House, having obtained his Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) Degree from the University of Lagos in 1997.

He rose through the ranks in the State House Medical Centre to become a Director in the Federal Civil Service in 2018.

Similarly, Fatima Mahmood, representing Bauchi State, who was sworn in alongside others, holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and is a Fellow of the Centre for African Leaders in Agriculture (CALA).

Prior to joining the service, she garnered invaluable experience in the finance sector as an agricultural specialist, where she honed her expertise in navigating the intricate intersection of finance and agriculture.

Other permanent secretaries sworn in by President Tinubu were: Mohammed Danjuma, Jigawa State; Olubunmi Olusanya, Ondo State; Maryam Ismaila Keshinro, Zamfara State; Chinyere Ijeoma Akujobi, Imo State and Christopher Isokpunwu, Edo State.

Danjuma was employed into the Federal Civil Service as Accountant II in 1993 and rose through the ranks to become a Director in 2021.

He was until his appointment, the Director (Finance and Accounts) in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.

Olusanya, a fellow of the Waste Management Society of Nigeria and a Member of the Nigerian Environmental Society, started his career as a Microbiologist with Sona Breweries Plc, Sango-Ota, Ogun State in 1993.

He later joined the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA) in June 1996 as a Senior Environmental Scientist.

He was absorbed into the Federal Ministry of Environment in June 1999 upon the winding down of FEPA, and rose through the ranks to the position of Director on Jan. 1, 2019.

Keshinro joined the Federal Civil Service on Jan. 3, 2011 as Assistant Director/Consultant Paediatrician with the State House at State House Medical Centre Abuja, and rose to Director/Consultant Special Grade I on Jan 1, 2019.

She served as the Head of Paediatrics Department from 2011 to 2019.

Recognising her leadership abilities, she was elected Chairman of Clinical Services from 2015 to 2019.

Akujobi, until current her appointment, was the Director (Epidemiology) at the Department of Veterinary & Pest Control Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture & Food Security, Abuja; and Director, World Trade Organisation Sanitary and Phytosanitary Enquiry Point (Animal Health) for Nigeria.

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folasade Esan, said the newly sworn in permanent secretaries should realise that the responsibility of being a permanent secretary was a huge one, and a call to service to one’s nation.

“And so they should see that responsibility and deal with it with all diligence. They need to come in with a lot of fresh vigor and do their work to move the country forward.

“The role of the civil servants is very critical in ensuring that the President gets all the results that he needs. And the civil servants are key, and permanent secretaries being heads of the MDAs must, as a matter of fact, ensure that all the results that Mr President needs will be seen.

“They must make sure that if there are bottlenecks, they should do whatever they have to do so to achieve great results for our country, Nigeria,” said Esan.

One of the newly sworn in permanent secretaries, Obi, said the appointment was a national call to service to support the government in driving the reforms in the federal civil service and to help the president to achieve his mandate.

“So, we feel that is a very great privilege for the eight of us. So, I’ve been elected as permanent and secretary to serve our Motherland, as enshrined in the national anthem that this call to service.