The Federal Government, under the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, has initiated measures to prevent the leakage of sensitive government documents to the public.

In a memo dated February 19, 2024, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, expressed concern over the increasing incidents of leaked official documents, deeming them embarrassing and unacceptable.

The memo, tagged HCSF/3065/VI/189, urged all permanent secretaries to expedite the migration to a digitalized workflow system and ensure the effective deployment of the Enterprise Content Management Solution. This shift aims to minimize physical contact with official documents, thereby curbing the rising trend of leaks and their circulation.

Furthermore, permanent secretaries were instructed to caution staff against leaking and circulating official information and documents. Any officer found engaging in such acts will face severe disciplinary action in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Public Service Rules and other applicable circulars.

The memo comes in response to a surge in the public disclosure of sensitive government documents in recent times. Instances include the leakage of a memo from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, revealing plans for a N500 allowance allocation to members of the tripartite committee on minimum wage, and another memo purportedly detailing a significant subsidy allocation for Hajj from the Office of the Minister of Finance.

These leaks have sparked outrage among Civil Society Organizations and organized labor, prompting calls for investigations into the alleged allocations.