The Federal Government, through the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, has initiated steps to safeguard sensitive government documents from unauthorized disclosure to the public.
Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, issued a memo dated February 19, 2024, addressing the concerning trend of leaked official documents.
The memo, labeled HCSF/3065/VI/189 and published on the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation’s website, expressed the government’s dismay over the increasing incidence of leaked documents, deeming it unacceptable and embarrassing.
In the memo, Yemi-Esan instructed all permanent secretaries to expedite the transition to a digitalized workflow system and ensure the effective deployment of the Enterprise Content Management Solution.
These measures aim to minimize physical handling of official documents, thereby curbing the proliferation of leaks.
Additionally, permanent secretaries were advised to sternly caution staff against unauthorized disclosure and circulation of official information and documents.
The memo warned of severe disciplinary actions in accordance with relevant provisions of the Public Service Rules and other existing circulars against any officer found engaging in such misconduct.
The move comes in response to a recent surge in leaked government documents, including a memo from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, revealing plans for the allocation of allowances to members of the tripartite committee on minimum wage.
Another leaked memo purportedly disclosed a substantial subsidy allocation for Hajj from the office of the Minister of Finance, sparking outrage and calls for investigations from Civil Society Organisations and organised labour.
