Nigeria’s federal government has commenced the recruitment process for a substantive Accountant General of the federation.
This comes more than a month after the arrest of Ahmed Idris, former accountant general by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N80bn fraud.
The approval for the recruitment was given by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Head of Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan.
In a circular dated June 21, with reference number HCSF/PS/CMO/193/03, all Accountants in the mainstream Federal Civil Service in the pool of Accountant General of the Federation who have attained the position of Substantive Director (Salary Grade 17) on or before 1st January 2020 and are not retiring from the service earlier than 31st December 2024 have been asked to participate in the exercise.
The circular, however, stated that Officers undergoing disciplinary proceedings are excluded from the exercise.
It reads, “Following the approval of Mr. President. the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation is commencing the process of the appointment of a substantive Accountant General of the Federation from eligible Directors (Accountant) in the pool of Accountant General of the Federation.
“Consequently, all Accountants in the mainstream Federal Civil Service in the pool of Accountant General of the Federation who have attained the position of Substantive Director (Salary Grade 17) on or before 1* January 2020 and are not retiring from the service earlier than 31st December 2024 are eligible to participate in the exercise.
“Officers undergoing disciplinary proceedings are however excluded from the exercise. Permanent Secretaries are therefore requested to forward the following to facilitate the process: List of eligible Directors on SGL. 17; confidential and personal files of all eligible Directors; five copies of Curriculum Vital 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 both Hard (5 copies} and soft copies.”
The circular stated that all the required documents must get to the office of the Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office (CMO), Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation on or before 4:00pm on Wednesday July 6, 2022.
Recall that following the arrest of Idris, President Muhammadu Buhari on May 20th approved the appointment of Anamekwe Chukwunyere Nwabuoku as the Acting Accountant-General of the Federation.
But it was learnt that the acting-AGF, Anamekwe Nwabuoku, who was appointed after Ahmed Idris’ suspension is also under surveillance concerning accusations of financial impropriety.
The allegations against him include overpayment to himself while serving in previous ministries and agencies.
A recent disclosure he made to the effect that the federal government is borrowing to pay salaries may have also put him in the bad books.