Worries over emergence of substantive AGF

There are fears over who would eventually emerge as substantive Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) following the examination and subsequent screening exercise among 34 candidates considered for the position.

The fears stem from the appointment of the acting AGF, Mohammed Dikwa who’s deployment to the office was alleged to be outside extant civil service rules in appointments of most senior and experienced officers to fill such position.

The template which was put in place and followed religiously under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, was for the best three candidates, following tests and screening for top-level service positions, to be proposed for eventual ratification at the discretion of the president.

This applied to vice-chancellorships, chief medical directorships, rectors and provost of federal government-owned tertiary institutions and health facilities, and by extension other service appointments.

Without regards for this rule, however, four of the 34 candidates who sat for the AGF qualifying examination were allegedly randomly selected for post-screening, in circumstances which were anything but transparent.

These include one Alhaji Idris Mamman, Director, Finance and Accounts in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Dikwa.

While Mamman came ninth in the examination, Dikwa placed a distant 29th. If merit, transparency and due process were followed, both officers will not make the post examination interface.

It does seem, however, that there is a subtle attempt to narrow the options for eventual presentation for presidential assent, to the North East geo-political zone, where Kifasi comes from. Whereas Kifasi is from Taraba State, Mamman and Dikwa are both from Borno in the same North East zone.

The apprehension in the service, therefore is that the process of the emergence of the incoming AGF, has been deliberately skewed in favour of Kifasi’s zone.

According to the source: “The argument for skipping Fagbemi for Dikwa in the appointment of an acting AGF, is that he comes from the South-west, like Otunla the out gone AGF.

But there is nothing in the civil service rules that forbids qualified persons from the same geo-political zone from succeeding themselves”.

Suspecting that the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (OHOSF) is seeking to circumvent the process, the source wondered why the OHOSF did not shortlist possible candidates strictly on the results of the examination conducted specifically for the appointment of a new AGF.

Many believe the compromise in the selection process may have vitiated the integrity and fairness of the whole process.

According to the source, it will be a major disservice to the fledgling Buhari administration if it allows itself to be railroaded into acts and practices which will question its avowed anti-corruption stance and its commitment to due process.

The source expressed hope that as an experienced and tested administrator, President Buhari will take more than a passing interest in the process leading to the first substantive appointment which will bear his imprimatur.

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