Frustrated by repeated cases of leakages of government secrets, the Head of Service of the Federation has tightened the noose on the movement of files and documents within the federal civil service, ministries, Departments and Agencies of government to safeguard leakages of sensitive information and confidential official documents. Civil servants have also been warned to
Frustrated by repeated cases of leakages of government secrets, the Head of Service of the Federation has tightened the noose on the movement of files and documents within the federal civil service, ministries, Departments and Agencies of government to safeguard leakages of sensitive information and confidential official documents.
Civil servants have also been warned to desist from such acts while new measures to checkmate future occurrences have been issued in a memo dated February 19, 2024, titled: Measures to Curtail the Leakage of Sensitive Official Information/Documents in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDA). It was signed by the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan.
The memo also requests “Permanent Secretaries to fast-track migration to the digitalized workflow system and ensure effective deployment of the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Solution. “This will reduce physical contacts with official documents thereby checking the increasing incidence of leakage and circulation of same”, she wrote.
“Furthermore, Permanent Secretaries are advised to strongly warn all staff against leaking and circulating official information and documents. Any officer caught engaging in such unbecoming act will be severely dealt with in line with the relevant provisions of the Public Service Rules and other extant circulars. This circular therefore reinforces the circular on “Unauthorized Circulation of Official Documents/Information On Social Media” Ref. No. HCSF/3065/Vol.1/94, dated 2nd August, 2021; and other regulations prohibiting unauthorized disclosure/leakage of official documents”.
In recent times, under President Tinubu’s administration, some memo inscribed with confidential information have strangely found their way into the media space and trending on the internet. This has left many Nigerians to wonder at the kind of bureaucracy we now operate. Some insider in government have blamed these acts on moles within the government and fifth columnists.
At the beginning of this year, a document revealed that the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, requested the Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, to transfer funds from the National Social Investment Office account to the UBA account of one Bridget Oniyelu, as the accountant for a federal government poverty intervention project called Grants for Vulnerable Groups.
This led to a chain of events that eventually led to the suspension of the Minister while the Federal government directed the EFCC to conduct investigation into the affairs of the ministry.
Similarly, another leaked memo revealed that George Akume, the Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF), wrote to President Tinubu requesting money for the activities of the Minimum wage committee to begin with N500 million instead of the N1 billion requested.
Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation consequently threatened to take punitive action against any workers caught engaging in such acts in line with the relevant provisions of the Public Service Rules
The Letter reads:
“MEASURES TO CURTAIL THE LEAKAGE OF SENSITIVE OFFICIAL INFORMATION/DOCUMENTS IN MINISTRIES, DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES (MDA)
It has been observed with dismay, the increase in the cases of leakage of sensitive official documents in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA). This is very embarrassing to the Government and therefore unacceptable.
“ As part of the efforts to curb this undesirable development, all Permanent Secretaries are to fast-track the migration to the digitalised workflow system, and ensure effective deployment of the Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Solution. This will reduce physical contacts with official documents thereby checking the increasing incidence of leakage and circulation of same.
“ Furthermore, Permanent Secretaries are advised to strongly warn all staff against leaking and circulating official information and documents. Any officer caught engaging in such unbecoming act will be severely dealt with in line with the relevant provisions of the Public Service Rules and other extant circulars. This circular therefore reinforces the circular on “Unauthorized Circulation of Official Documents/Information On Social Media” Ref. No. HCSF/3065/Vol.1/94, dated 2nd August, 2021; and other regulations prohibiting unauthorized disclosure/leakage of official documents.
“ Permanent Secretaries are to ensure strict compliance with the contents of this circular and draw the attention of the Heads of the agencies under their supervision to same.”
