20 administrators are jostling to replace the dismissed AGFs

The federal government has issued a circular for the appointment of a substantial new Accountant General for the Federation, the PUNCH has learned.

In a circular dated June 21, 2022, from the office of the head of the Federation's civil service, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, the federal government said: "Following the approval of Mr. Speaker, the Office of the Federation Chief of Staff is commencing the process of appointing a Federation Accountant General from among the eligible Directors (Accountants) of the Federation Accountant General Group.”

The position, according to the circular obtained by The PUNCH, is for those who have achieved the position of substantive director at level 17 in the pay grade by January 1, 2020.

Finance Ministry sources said the permanent secretaries had submitted several lists of eligible administrators (accountants) for consideration for the post.

It has further been learned that eligible directors in the AGF pool are jostling for inclusion on the list.

An unconfirmed source familiar with the development said as many as 20 directors have also submitted nominations for the top job.

However, The PUNCH could not confirm this because the spokesperson for the Federation's Accountant General, Henshaw Ogubuike, did not return his calls or respond to a message that told him. been sent.

Meanwhile, the circular, titled "Commencement of the Appointment Process for a Substantial Accountant General of the Federation", further reads in part: "All Accountants in the Ordinary Federal Public Service in the pool of General Accountants of the Federation who have reached the position of fund manager (salary grade 17) no later than January 1, 2020 and who do not leave the service before December 31, 2024 are eligible to participate in the exercise .

“Staff subject to disciplinary proceedings are, however, excluded from the exercise. The permanent secretaries are therefore requested to send the following elements to facilitate the process: list of eligible directors on SGL. 17; confidential and personal records of all eligible directors; five copies of the curriculum vitae of each of the eligible directors; brief on each of the eligible directors in the attached format to be produced in Microsoft Word and in hard copy (five copies) and electronic version. Electronic copies should be emailed to [email protected] and also on a USB drive."

He added: "Documents in paragraph 4 above should be received at the Office of the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Office of the Head of the Federation Civil Service, Block A, 4th Floor, Federal Office Secretariat Complex, Phase II no later than 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 6, 2022. Please bring the contents of this circular to the attention of all affected officers.”

Removed from AGF to face disciplinary action

Suspended Federation Accountant General Ahmed Idris will face a disciplinary panel after his trial, the National Accountants Association of Nigeria has announced.

In a telephone interview with The PUNCH, ANAN President Prof. Ben Osisioma said the association was ready to take disciplinary action against Idris, who is a member, noting that there would be no protection for him if convicted of the allegations made against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

Idris was suspended by Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed on May 18, 2022 over allegations close to N80 billion fraud. He is being prosecuted by the EFCC.

Osisioma said: "It's always the matter of the court. We have our commission of inquiry and a court. Once a case is before the court, everyone stays in the gap. But then we'll work on it. We'll do what needs to be done, no matter what the gored ox is. EFCC is looking into it. After EFCC, we'll take action.

"We will have a commission of inquiry and find out what he did and how he did it. If it requires suspending or withdrawing his membership as an accountant, we will ."

Why Anamekwe was deleted

Information in the public domain has linked the dismissal of Mr. Chukwunyere Anaekwe, who replaced Idris, with allegations of corruption.

A finance ministry source alleged that Anamekwe was linked to the alleged N80 billion fraud, and the finance minister did not want the EFCC's investigations compromised. The source urged the EFCC to expand its investigative network as many people inside and outside the ministry were involved in the...