‘Nigeria’s return to democracy boxed HoS to a corner’

A serving permanent secretary told Daily Trust last night that Nigeria’s return to democracy “confused the role of the Head of the Civil Service (HoS) at the federal and state levels.”

The permanent secretary, who spoke in confidence, said he pitied the embattled OyoIta, saying during the military era, it was one person that served the role of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) or Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

He said such person normally had the blend of being a technocrat and a politician “which made it easier to navigate the difficult terrain.”

According to him, “But under the new democratic dispensation from 1999, a new challenge was posed to the office of the HoS because anyone occupying the office is strictly a civil servant.”

He added, “Under military regime, he or she combined political and bureaucratic roles but the return to democracy indirectly created a huge suspense between strict bureaucratic procedure in civil service and policy articulation which is normally handled by the SGF,” he said.

On why there was clash between the HoS and the Chief of Staff (CoS) to the president, he said, “The CoS is simply the engine room of the presidency; his role is to lead staff in the presidency in ensuring that the president has a smooth sail. He takes the burden off the head of his principal, perusing and summarizing files for him.

“Under normal circumstances, there should be no friction between him and the Hos; but I think there is ego at play,” he said.

A political analyst based in Abuja, Mohammed Sani Haruna, said the Chief of Staff is usually the link between the President and his appointees, especially in a presidential system of government like the one Nigeria is operating.

“I remember the president telling ministers-designate at a retreat in November 2015 that all communications and appointments between them and his office should be routed through the Chief of Staff,” Haruna said.

“However Abba Kyari seems to cherish the spotlight. Others who held that position in the past kept a low profile. Indeed, late President Umaru Yar’adua never had a chief of staff. That said, as appointees of the same president, the chief of staff and the head of service, and indeed any other appointee of the president, must find a way of working harmoniously,” he added.