By Stanley Onyekwere
A Group under the auspices of Pro-Impact Initiative has raised the alarm over what it termed, calculated attempts by few sit-tight Directors to blackmail the Accountant-General of the Federation , Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, which can derail her from carrying out much needed reforms and cleansing in the Treasury House.
The group alleged that few directors who were largely affected and displeased by the recent posting exercise which was with the noblest of intentions and in compliance with relevant civil service rules are hell-bent on seeing that the Accountant General of the Federation , Dr Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, is forced out of office to allow them continue to call the shots.
The Coordinator of the group, Dr Osamudiamen Isokpehi who briefed newsmen over the weekend in Abuja said: “Those few Directors behind these acts appeared not to understand the extent to which they have exposed their self-serving in the said petitions written against an Amazon of repute and personally distributed them to media organisations to destroy her hard-earned reputation.
“To start with, how can these directors accuse the accountant-General of not being qualified for the position because they claimed she came second during the rigorous interview and examination attended by multiple directors who applied and sat for the exam?
“ The process of selecting the Accountant General of the Federation are; After a rigorous examination ,some names are shortlisted accordingly to their overall performance; The shortlisted names are forwarded to the president and Commander-in-Chief who reserves the right to select any candidate from the list.
“ Why is this examination issue coming up several months after? Why at a time after the Accountant General carried out a reformative posting exercise during which she moved “untouchable Directors of the Agency” who believed they are ‘Principalities and Powers’ in their offices ?”
Isokpehi there called on the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr Wale Edun to “disregard their frivolous petitions and focus his strength on the actualization of a vibrant economy, under the president Bola Tinubu renewed hope agenda. These characters, we believe are part of those who brought the nation to where it is today “
Meanwhile, a civil society group, Nigeria Women Professional Alliances, (NWPA) during an interactive session with newsmen, urged the AGF to not be distracted in the discharge of her duty but remain resolute in the face of challenges.
Spokesperson for the group, Mrs Christine Ezekwe said they decided to come out and voice their position, following what they termed, “ Unprovoked attacks against a woman who is just doing her professional noble job”
Ezekwe explained that, “Her emergence gave hope to millions of young girls across the thirty-six states of the federation and the FCT that they can aspire to any position in Nigeria. Today, few men woke up wrote petitions and wanted to paint her black for not dancing to their tunes”
The group appealed to the Accountant General to remember she is an ambassador of the Nigerian woman and go about her duty passionately to actualise the dreams of President Bola Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.
It adds: “One thing we find real disturbing is the fact that women in positions of authority go through a lot. Many just believe that because they are women they cannot take certain tough decisions or be their boss. Some can endure incompetence and non-performance from anyone, but when it comes to women working upright in the discharge of their duties, they get very offended”.
Ezekwe explained that at a time when Nigerian women are clamouring for more seats in governance they cannot watch their unacceptable few number depleted by some persons who , “ have left their offices to start chasing shadows”
