by Azeez Adeniyi

The House of Representatives on Thursday said President Muhammadu Buhari lacked the power to extend the tenure of a Permanent Secretary who had served out her full service length.

The committee on Basic Education said it was illegal for the president to extend the tenure of Permanent Secretary, Ministry ofEducation, Dr. Jamila Shu’ara, who was to retire in February 2016.

Shu’ara, 61, served out her tenure in February, 2016 and was supposed to retire according to the extant Public Service Rules which set the retirement age at 60.

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In its report, the committee said section 171 of the constitution which empowered the President to appoint top government officials did not give him the power to extend a permanent secretary’s tenure.

The lower chamber directed the Head of Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita to recover all the salaries and benefits paid to Shu’ara in the last one year.

Part of the committee’s recommendations read, “The President has no powers under Section 171( 2)(c) of the constitution or any other existing law to extend or elongate the tenure of a permanent secretary, whose tenure expired by efluxion of time or age, whichever comes first.

“The Head of Service should invoke the relevant rules to recover all the emoluments paid to Jamila Shu’ara for the period of her tenure’s extension.

“The Federal Government should ensure that civil service rules and procedures are strictly followed.

“The HoS should ensure compliance with this subject matter and report back to the House in four weeks.”

On the directive to produce Shu’ara’s personal file, Oyo-Ita replied that all files of civil servants were kept with the Federal Civil Service Commission.

“I have requested for the personal file of Shu’ara from the FCSC and I am expecting the response,” Oyo-Ita stated in her letter.

The President has already extended Shu’ara’s tenure by another year, covering February, 2017 to February, 2018.