••••New AGF Blocked from Taking Over Office as Surreptitious Moves Against Him Thickens
•••Workers May Celebrate Xmas Without Salaries
By Attah Ede
Tension is currently brewing in the office of the Accountant General of the Federation(OAGF) Abuja, following the appointment of Mr Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi as the new Acting Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) by President Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
Babatunde Ogunjimi’s appointment was announced by Presidential Spokesman Bayo Onanuga in a statement on Tuesday, December 10th, 2024, as a result of the pre-retirement leave of the incumbent AGF, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein which commenced on December 7th.
However, there is a clear indication that the new Accountant-General of the Federation (AG-F), Mr. Ogunjimi is being prevented from taking over his new office, as the outgoing AG-F is said to be refusing to vacate the office.
Sources said that his predecessor is insisting that her tenure will end on March 7, 2025.
This followed the alleged misinterpretation of Section120243 of the Federal Government Public Service Rules.
It was gathered that the outgoing AG-F is also yet to initiate official procedure of handing over to the new AG-F, to give the requisite three-month notice of retirement.
Furthermore, the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation was said to have “erroneously” advised President Tinubu against appointing a new AG-F before March when the outgoing AG-F, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Madein will be leaving offiice finally to end her tenure in offiice.
Source citing Public Service Rules, insist that Mrs. Madein was due to have proceeded on pre-retirement leave on December 7.
But Mrs. Madein, is said be insisting on staying in office till March 7 as the substantive AG-F when her tenure will officially come to an end.
According to Section120243 of the Federal Government Public Service Rules, Mrs. Madein was expected to have handed over to her successor to commence on the leave.
The rule in contention says, “Officers are required to give three months’ notice to retire from Service before the effective date of retirement.
“At the commencement of three months, Officers should proceed immediately on the mandatory one-month pre-retirement workshop/seminar, while for the remaining two months, intending retirees are expected to take necessary measures to put their records straight so as to facilitate the speedy processing of their retirement benefits.”
A senior staff in the OAG-F who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, disclosed that “there is an a plan to upturn the appointment of Ogunjimi through misinterpretation and misapplication of the Public Service Rules.
According him, despite the fact that the new AG-F has collected his letter of appointment, he is yet to gain access to the new office to perform his statutory functions.
“Ogunjimi has been locked out of the office because the retiring AGF is refusing to vacate the office saying that her tenure will end on March 7.
“To avoid conflict, the Office of the HoCSF has sent an advisory to the President to stay action on Ogunjimi’s appointment.
“Going by the Federal Government Service Rules, former AG-F is expected to hand over and proceed on pre-retirement leave. But the new AG-F is kept in a limbo and asked to wait for three months before assumption of duties.
‘The President was courteous enough to accord the former AG-F statutory respect but she is trying to turn the rules upside down.
“By the Presidential announcement of a new AG-F, Madein’s tenure has ended. It will amount to living in a fool’s paradise to assume that she is still the AG-F.
“Barrister Danladi Kifasi was Head of Service under Buhari, he gave three months’ notice and retired. There is need for consistency and time to eschew nepotism.”
Meanwhile, this leadership tussles may likely delay the payment of the December salaries for Federal civil servants.
The Network gathered that workers in the OAGF are sharply divided between loyalists of Madein and Ogunjimi, as workers loyal to Madein have reportedly halted Ogunjimi from assuming duties, forcing him to operate from his previous position as Director of Funds.
This leadership crisis between the rival camps is hampering operations at the OAGF, where the AGF’s role is crucial for approving salary payments and disbursements to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
With less than a week to Christmas, the development has adversely affected the release of fund, thereby raising concerns among civil servants who are looking and waiting to collect December salaries.
Another staff in the OAGF, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, described the situation as precarious, warning that the ongoing controversy could degenerate into serious fight if not immediately tackle headlong.
The director of public relations in the OAGF, Mr. Bawa Mokwa could not be reached as he was said to be attending a retreat in Kaduna.
