Why Acting AGF Chukwunyere Anamekwe Was Suspended After One Month In Office
The internal tempest that consumed the erstwhile Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Ahmed Idris, has also consumed his successor, Chukwuyere Anamekwe, who headed the place in acting capacity since May this year.
In his stead, Sylva Okolieaboh, a director at the Treasury Single Account (TSA) department of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation has stepped in.
It was gathered that Okolieaboh’s appointment followed an “in-house reshuffle exercise”.
Ahmed Idris proceeded on indefinite suspension, after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrested him for alleged fraud of N80 billion.
Daily Sun also gathered that Anamekwe was also being investigated by the anti-graft agency.
But Anamekwe’s ‘sins’ climaxed about two weeks ago when he squealed that the federal government was borrowing heavily to pay salaries, indicating the nation’s finances were in the red.
“We have to borrow to augment payment of salaries and wages. This shows we are in very difficult times. Government income is highly challenged,” he said.
With such an unsettling utterance, it was gathered that the Anamekwe came under sustained attack until his removal last week.
Already, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Mrs. Folasade Yemi-Esanhas initiated moves to get a substantive AGF.
In a memo titled: “Commencement of the process of appointment of a substantive Accountant-General of the Federation”, the HoCSF directed permanent secretaries to forward details of eligible directors on Grade 17 to her on or before 4:00 pm on Wednesday, July 6, 2022.
The memo stated the qualification of level 17 officers qualified for the position.
There are” “Those who have attained the position of Substantive Director (Grade 17) on or before January 1, 2020 and are not retiring from the service earlier than December 31, 2024 are eligible to participate in the selection process while officers undergoing disciplinary proceedings are excluded”