The Government has ordered an immediate halt to the public service job evaluation exercise and imposed a temporary freeze on “aged” vacancies as part of cost-management measures tied to the country’s ongoing fuel crisis, a senior civil service official confirmed on April 4.
In a circular sent to all Permanent Secretaries, Pita Tagicakirewa, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Civil Service (MCS), directed that the job evaluation exercise be suspended and that vacancies at least six months old be frozen “with immediate effect.” The measures are intended to curb public sector expenditure while economic pressures from rising fuel costs persist, the circular said.
Tagicakirewa made clear the freeze is not absolute. Ministries may seek exceptions for roles classified as essential services, but such approvals will be considered on a case-by-case basis and require formal request to the MCS. He also ordered tighter oversight of recruitment, instructing that all Requests for Approval to Recruit (ATR) for affected positions must be forwarded to the Ministry of Civil Service for clearance before any advertisement or hiring action. “MCS will monitor this very closely,” Tagicakirewa said in the circular.
The suspension of the job evaluation exercise halts a process used to review job classifications, grading and remuneration across the public service — a step that could delay reclassifications, pay adjustments or structural workforce changes pending the restart of the work. By freezing aged vacancies, the Government aims to lower payroll expansion from long-unfilled posts, though ministries facing critical staffing shortfalls will be able to apply for exemptions.
Permanent Secretaries have been instructed to ensure the circular is communicated to officers in their ministries and departments. The move signals a centralised approach to immediate cost containment and tighter control over recruitment during a period of heightened fiscal stress linked to fuel price volatility.
This directive forms part of broader government efforts to manage costs amid the ongoing fuel crisis, which has placed upward pressure on operating budgets across sectors. How long the suspension and vacancy freeze will remain in place was not specified in the circular; ministries awaiting approvals or engaged in active recruitment have been told to pause processes until they receive clearance from MCS.
The MCS oversight requirement means departments seeking to fill essential roles will need to demonstrate operational necessity to secure exceptions. The policy is likely to affect timelines for staffing and planned workforce changes across ministries, and may prompt ministries to re-prioritise service delivery and internal allocations while the Government seeks to contain expenditure.
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