Transparency and Open Policy Initiative group under the Aegis of, National Intervention Group of Nigeria (NIGN) has urged president Muhammadu Buhari to immediately investigate the activities of the Head of Service, Folashade Mejabio Yemi-Esan and the Acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Okotie-eboh Sylva over their alleged attempt to stall the appointment and selection process of a new substantive Accountant-General of the Federation.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Coordinator, of the group Akinloye Oyeniyi questioned the audacity of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation Folashade Mejabio Yemi-Esan to undermine the Presidency over the appointment of a substantive Accountant General of the Federation for selfish reasons
He said he was shocked to find out that 5 months after a Presidential directive was set in motion for the appointment of a new Accountant General of the Federation, the process is allegedly being undermined by the Head of Service and other persons in her office.
Oyeniyi noted that even though 8 qualified Directors (Accountants) on Grade level 17 in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation have been interviewed and screened for the job, the new plans being allegedly proposed by the Head of Service(HoS) to extend the selection process to the first quarter of next year arouse suspicion and quiet disturbing.
According to Oyeniyi, the move by the HoS may not be far from trying to sneak in new candidates who did not participate in the stalled exercise and also keep the current holder of the office, Okolie-eboh Sylva even though he is due for retirement in charge in acting capacity until the first quarter of 2023.
The NIGN Coordinator said it has become even more important for the President to take keen interest in the activities of the HoS in the light of her recent intervention that allowed the outgoing Clerk to the National Assembly, Amos Olatunde Ojo to retain his office while proceeding on his retirement leave.
Oyeniyi also asked the President Buhari to conduct a similar probe into on the activities of Sylva as they relate to the selection process for a substantive Accountant-General.
The transparency and accountability driven Civil Society Organization(CSOs) subsequently called on President Buhari not to relent on his anti-corruption drive at this time by ensuring that he stops the Head of Service from stalling the appointment process he started since last June.
“It is pertinent to say here also that the Outgoing Clerk to the National Assembly, Mr. Olatunde Ojo, is set to spend his three months’ pre-retirement Leave in office following the intervention of the same Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Folashade Yemi-Esan, in defiance of the Public Service Rule (PSR) 100238 which states:
“Officers are required to give three months’ notice to retire from service before the effective date of retirement. At the commencement of the three months, officers should proceed immediately on the compulsory one month preretirement, workshop/seminar”.
The Clerk, who is supposed to commence his mandatory three months Pre-retirement Leave on Monday November 14, preparatory to his final exit from office on February 14, 2023, when he would have attained the retirement age of 60 years, will be in office till that same last day because of an embarrassing manipulation of rules.
