The President of the Civil Society Groups for Good Governance (CSGGG) Comrade Ogakwu Dominic, Thursday said that the rigorous screening process to select an Accountant General for the Federation must be merit-based, focusing on credentials, past and present work experience, competence, capacity and character viz-a-viz the principles of Accountability, Integrity and Transparency (AIT).
Ogakwu stated this while addressing the press on the recruitment process of the Accountant General of the Federation in Abuja.
He lauded the relevant authorities for ensuring that all candidates shortlisted for the position of Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), are meticulously screened by the relevant authorities.
Ogakwu said, “Moreover, as civil society organisation, our position is that at the end, five (5) out of the most qualified candidates should emerge, one out of which can then be appointed as Accountant General of the Federation (AGF).
“The crux of the matter is that we want the screening process to de-emphasize 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 berated the process of selecting Permanent Secretaries which according to him has left some states without one.
“In any case, applying the same ineffective recruitment process of appointing Permanent Secretaries in the recruitment and appointment into the sacred office of the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), can be counterproductive for our country as it robs the nation of valuable human resources, by focusing on process rather than products and by so doing, appointing the highest bidders and schemers instead of the best fit for the job”, he said.
Ogakwu pointed out that the position of the CSOs is premised on a trending allegation that the former Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), who is currently standing trial for corruption, embezzlement and looting of the Federation’s treasury to the tune of N109 billion did pay handsomely during his screening examination, thereby procuring the position of AGF like some commodity at a trade fair which was auctioned to the highest bidder. Is it therefore any wonder that the man spent his days in office frantically recouping his “investments” and repaying his “investors” who facilitated his fraudulent emergence as AGF through the corrupt screening examination?
