The Civil Society Groups for Good Governance (CSGGG) has said that the screening process to select an Accountant General for Nigeria must be done based on merit.
President of the CSGGG, Ogakwu Dominic, stated this while addressing journalists on the recruitment process of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF) in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The position became vacant following the suspension of Ahmed Idris over an alleged N109 billion fraud. He was suspended by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, to enable him to face his probe.
‘As civil society organisations, our position is that at the end of the process of recruitment, five out of the most qualified candidates should emerge, one out of which can then be appointed as Accountant General of the Federation’, he said.
‘The crux of the matter is that we want the screening process to de-emphasise the obsolete use of examination as the major determinant for recruiting the Accountant General of the Federation, given the pivotal and influential functions of the office on our national economy. After all, it is now visible to the blind and audible to the deaf that examination is not the true test of knowledge – a cursory look at some public stewards in offices today lends credence to this fact’.
He noted that Nigeria is in a state of complete financial disaster and only a Nigerian with a proven track record in revenue generation, expertise in financial management, alongside a vast experience in people management, can rescue the country from total implosion.
‘The next Accountant General of the Federation must be someone who can diplomatically facilitate a healthy synergy with the three arms of government, catalyse a robust and cost-effective interagency cooperation in order to lower the cost of governance and must be able to work harmoniously and seamlessly with his or her principal – the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning – for the smooth implementation of government financial implementation framework 2022–2025, vis-a-vis the monetary and fiscal policy of government’.
He also said that the preferred candidate must be able to account for all international funds accruable to Nigeria, including aids, credits, grants and loans from international agencies.
Photo source: Muhammadu Buhari
