News
Confusion as AG-F redeploys director appointed by Tinubu as her successor
Outgoing Accountant-General of the Federation (AG-F), Mrs. Oluwatoyin Madein yesterday redeployed the director appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take over from her.
On December 10, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy Bayo Onanuga announced the approval of the President for the appointment of Shamseldeen Babatunde Ogunjimi as Acting Accountant-General.
Onanuga statement said: “His (Ogunjimi) appointment is effective immediately following the pre-retirement leave of the incumbent AG-F, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein.
“In announcing Mrs. Madein’s successor, President Tinubu expects a seamless transition in the administration of Nigeria’s treasury and consolidates the implementation of the present administration’s treasury policy reforms.”
Mrs. Madein, due to retire on March 7, in line with civil service rules, was due to have commenced her pre-retirement leave on December 7.
However, Mrs. Madein and some top officials of the ministry frustrated Ogunjimi’s resumption until yesterday when his redeployment along with other officers, was announced.
In a December 18 circular which she personally signed, Madein said: “I hereby approve the posting of the following Directorate Level Treasury Officers with immediate effect towards enhancing effective service delivery.
“I want to further reiterate that all officers are to note that failure to comply with this posting instruction shall be treated in accordance with the provision of the Public Service Rules (PSR) 020602 (iv).
“Accordingly, affected officers are advised to submit assumption of duty certificates to the office of the undersigned on or before Tuesday, 24th December, 2024.”
In the circular, Ogunjimi was moved from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (Funds) to the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN) Accounts.
Some others redeployed were Abalaka James N (OAGF Funds); Dagin Seldam (OAGF STF); Ekwem Virginus E (OAGF IPPIS); Luka Joshua Kadmi (Ministry of Foreign Affairs Accounts).
The situation at the AG-F office became more confusing yesterday when it became clear to the polarized staff members that the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (HoCSF) had endorsed Mrs. Madein to remain in office till her March 7 retirement date.
She took advantage of the elongation of her stay in office by the HoCSF to redeploy Ogunjimi.
The letter authorising Mrs. Madein’s continuation in office was issued by the HoCSF Mrs. Esther Walson-Jack and confirmed yesterday in Abuja.
According to the spokesperson of the (OAGF), Mr. Bawa Mokwa, the letter reinstates Mrs. Madein to her role as AG-F and allows her to oversee treasury operations until her retirement.
Mokwa said: “Embarking on terminal leave by retiring civil servants is optional; it’s in the civil service regulations.
“However, staff members are unsure if Mrs. Madein’s letter invalidates Ogunjimi’s appointment by the President.”
While the letter did not explicitly nullify Ogunjimi’s appointment as Acting AG-F, it may have slowed down his resumption as the acting AG-F until President Bola Ahmed Tinubu decides.
Mokwa confirmed Ogunjimi’s redeployment.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
US President-elect, Donald Trump’s incoming administration plans to immediately order a series of deportation raids targeting illegal immigrants after his inauguration.
Chicago is expected to be the first major city targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents as part of Operation Safeguard, the New York Times reported, citing two people familiar with planning the undertaking.
The massive deportation operation is expected to target criminals and gang members in the United States illegally and run for one week.
Trump has promised to conduct the largest deportation program in U.S. history.
Up to 200 ICE agents are being sent to Chicago to help kick off the operation on Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported. The agency has already asked agents to volunteer for the post-inauguration raids.
“There’s gonna be a big raid across the country,” Tom Homan, who will be in charge of U.S. borders once Trump takes office, told Fox News in an interview.
Homan has previously said he will instruct ICE agents to carry out raids on illegal immigrants at their workplaces.
In addition to Chicago, the sweeping crackdown will also target other major U.S. cities with large immigrant populations.
Trump is set to take the oath of office on Monday, January 20, in an inauguration that will take place indoors.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
A faith-based civil society organization, CSO that monitors and reports on Hajj and Umrah activities, the Independent Hajj Reporters, IHR, has commended the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, for selecting a different Saudi-based Hajj service provider for the 2025 Hajj season.
It said the decision would create healthy competition among service providers interested in efficiently, qualitatively, and satisfactorily serving Nigerian pilgrims.
The CSO, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Malam Ibrahim Muhammed, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and made available to our correspondent on Sunday in Abuja, said the quest for improved Hajj services has been a major challenge for Nigerian pilgrims owing to the repeated failure of providing satisfactory services.
”We applauded the decision to pick another service provider that will cater for the needs of pilgrims within the Masha’ir areas during the five days of Hajj,” he said
The national coordinator, who is currently in Saudi Arabia to monitor the pre-Hajj arrangements, said available information shows that the new company, Mashariq Al Dhahabia, is an experienced provider that has served top-rated Hajj countries, like Indonesia and Malaysia, and ranked among the top five Hajj service providers by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
“The company served 249 706 which is the largest number of Hajj pilgrims during the 2023 hajj. They were awarded as the Best Hajj Service Providers during the 2022 Hajj by the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah,” he stated.
IHR said it further understood that NAHCON is planning to recruit another service provider to provide services for very important personalities, VIP pilgrims so as not to repeat the experience of previous years, which is also a desired step forward.
It, however, urged NAHCON to set a parameter of performance for the newly selected service providers to serve as a baseline for determining continuous patronage, advising that such criteria should be based on pilgrims’ satisfaction and adherence to contractual terms.
Speaker Abbas expresses sorrow over Niger tanker explosion, multiple fatalities
Fear as Trump’s deportation raids in US to start in Chicago immediately afte inauguration
Hajj: CSO lauds NAHCON’s selection of new Saudi-based service provider
Just in: Terrorists ambush military truck, kill all soldiers on board
Nigerian Dancer, Korra Obidi Attacked with acid, stabbed on stage In UK
Meet Rare Gem 16 Years Old Chiaza, CEO of ‘RUN MARKET PLACE’
-
News14 hours agoFG Accepts New VAT Sharing Formula Proposed By Governors
-
News15 hours agoFinally, court bars FRSC from arresting vehicles, penalizing motorists faded number plates
-
News23 hours agoJust in: Gov Soludo reveals those behind kidnapping in SE, says it’s now a lucrative biz
-
News10 hours agoCLARIFICATION: Wike’s aide rubbished claim on his principal’s alleged trip to UK
-
News10 hours agoCatholic church suspends priest over alleged secret marriage in US
-
News9 hours agoSAD! Two Judges shot dead in Court as attacker takes own life
-
News14 hours agoTrump launches his own meme coin, value soars
-
Metro15 hours agoWedding gone awry as teenagers k!ll man