The administrative head of the ministry is the

1. Analyze the question The question asks who is the administrative head of a ministry. In a ministry, there are two kinds of heads: a political head and an administrative (civil service) head.

2. Explain the concept

• Political head: the Minister (in Nigeria, appointed by the President, or the Commissioner at state level). This person is a political appointee who sets policy and answers to the government.
• Administrative head: the Permanent Secretary (now often called Director-General in some federal ministries). This is a career civil servant who runs the day-to-day administration, serves as the chief accounting officer, and advises the Minister. The Permanent Secretary stays in office even when governments change, which is why the post is called "permanent".

3. Step-by-step solution

• A. Official of the ruling government: this describes a political appointee, not a civil servant. ✗
• B. General manager: this title is used for heads of parastatals or companies, not ministries. ✗
• C. Permanent secretary: the career civil servant who heads the ministry's administration. ✓
• D. Chief coordinating officer: not a standard title for the head of a ministry. ✗

4. Answer The correct option is C. permanent secretary.

5. Exam tip Remember the pairing: Minister = political head, Permanent Secretary = administrative head. If a question uses the words "administrative", "civil service" or "accounting officer" in a ministry, think Permanent Secretary. If it says "political head", think Minister or Commissioner.