The first lady of Nigeria Dame Patience Jonathan yesterday made
history with her appointment as a permanent secretary in the services of the
Bayelsa State government.
 |
| PERMANENT SECRETARY IN ACTION |
She is one of 17 other top senior civil servants appointed by the present
governor of the state Mr. Seriake Dickson according to a statement released by
the Head of Civil Services Mrs Gloria Izonfo stating that this was done in
accordance with the constitutional power conferred on Governor Seriake Dickson
in section 203 sub-Section 2C of the Nigeria Constitution.
The state government has said that her appointment into the office
of permanent Secretary was due to long service in the Rivers State Civil
Service which has been transferred to Bayelsa state.
It should however be noted
that it is section 208 and not section
203 of the constitution that guides the appointment of Permanent Secretaries.
 |
| DAME PATIENCE IN CELEBRATION MOOD |
|
208. (1) Power to appoint
persons to hold or act in the offices to which this section applies and to
remove persons so appointed from any such office shall vest in the Governor of
the State.
(2) The offices to which
this section applies are, namely -
(a) Secretary to the
Government of the State;
(b) Head of the Civil
Service of the State;
(c) Permanent Secretary or
other chief executive in any Ministry or Department of the Government of the
State howsoever designated; and
(d) Any office on the
personal staff of the Governor.
 |
| IN OFFICIAL CAPACITY |
It should be however be noted that this appointment has been solely reserved for senior civil servants in active service who are believed to be in the best position to supervise and direct all day to day activities of the appropriate ministries.
 |
| GIVING OUT INSTRUCTION |
