Group calls for due diligence in appointing new Accountant-General of the Federation

Agitation for the replacement of the suspended Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris is getting louder as the Federal Government fails to appoint a new AGF two months after Idris's suspension.

The Civil Society Groups for Good Governance (CSGGG) on Wednesday, July 24. 2022. called on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure Idris is replaced by the most senior director of the federal ministry of finance.

Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, the President of CSGGG, Comrade Ogakwu Dominic said the Head of Service must follow the rules and regulations of the civil service in ensuring an immediate replacement of the vacant seat.

He noted that the vacant office as stipulated in the statutory provision of the civil service must be occupied by the most senior director.

Comrade Dominic said: “The right thing to do in this case, is for the most senior director in the Federal Ministry of Finance, to be redeployed to the Office of the Accountant-General as the acting accountant general of the federation, pending when a substantive Accountant-General of the Federation would be appointed.

While expressing his concerns, he stated that further delay in announcing a new substantive AGF is a breach and a deliberate negligence of the statutory provisions binding civil service.

Citing the stipulations of the statutes as contained in the civil service rule, Comrade Ogakwu said: “Pending the appointment of a substantive Head of Extra-Ministerial Department/Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of Parastatals, Agency, Commission and Government-owned company, the outgoing Chief Executive Officer must handover to the next most senior Officer of the establishment, as long as the officer does not have any pending disciplinary matter.”

It would be recalled that Idris was suspended in May over alleged over alleged diversion and money laundering activities to the tune of N80bn.

He was subsequently arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for failing to honour an invitation.