Permanent Secretary Under Fire for Alleged Birthdate Fraud

Fresh revelations have placed the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Pastor Tomonialadieokuma Ismael, at the center of a storm over alleged falsification of official records to prolong his service years.

According to documents sighted by Global Mirror News, Pastor Ismael was due to retire today, September 16, 2025, based on his original date of birth, September 16, 1965.

By law, Nigerian Civil Servants must exit the service either after 35 years of service or upon reaching the age of 60.

However, sources claim that during the recent civil service verification exercise, Pastor Ismael declared a new date of birth — December 26, 1967 — which would delay his exit until 2027.

This alleged alteration effectively buys him two additional years in service.

Insiders further revealed that following this adjustment, a fresh identity card bearing the new birthdate was issued to the Permanent Secretary.

The development has fueled concerns that some senior civil servants may have used the verification exercise to discreetly manipulate their records for service extension.

Pastor Ismael, who also serves as a pastor with Salvation Ministries, began his career as a classroom teacher before transferring to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, where he rose through the ranks to become Permanent Secretary.

While he has reportedly enjoyed all civil service benefits, investigators allege he has deliberately tried to evade the statutory exit point.

In what appears to validate the suspicion, Global Mirror News gathered that Pastor Ismael’s name currently features in the ministry’s nominal roll without a fixed retirement date — a situation described by observers as evidence of tampering.

This is not the first time the Permanent Secretary has faced controversy. Earlier this year, he was mentioned in a ₦22 million scandal involving transfers of public funds between ministries.

A video recording showed a heated confrontation between a Director loyal to him and the Ministry’s Director of Finance and Administration (DFA) over the disputed funds.

The Rivers State Civil Service Commission has since set up a disciplinary panel to probe the matter, with Pastor Ismael, the DFA, and other officials reportedly under scrutiny.

Similarly, Permanent Secretary has been linked to the alleged diversion of ₦21 million earmarked for the renewal of a telecommunications mast at the Port Harcourt Zoo.

Reports allege that the funds were instead lodged in a dormant Access Bank account belonging to the ministry.

The allegations have sparked calls for urgent action. Stakeholders in the civil service are demanding that the Acting Head of Service, the Rivers State Civil Service Commission, and the Accountant-General of Rivers State take decisive steps to investigate the matter and ensure accountability.

Many warn that failure to act could embolden other civil servants to falsify records, further undermining integrity within the public sector.

Global Mirror News will continue to track this story as it develops.