Acting fed Accountant replaced to avoid compromising investigation
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Chukwuyere Anamekwe who replaced Ahmed Idris as federal Accountant General on 22 May in an acting capacity is being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N80 billion.
That coupled with his disclosure that the government is borrowing money to pay civil servants led to his being replaced on 21 June by Okolieaboh Sylvis, a former Treasury Single Account (TSA) Director who is also acting in the new post.
A source in the Ministry of Finance disclosed that Anamekwe is linked to an alleged N80 billion fraud and Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed does not want the EFCC investigation compromised.
The source urged the EFCC to expand its dragnet as many people in and outside the ministry are involved in the scam.
But a contractor who has worked for the Finance Ministry said there is an attempt to cover up the N80 billion fraud as some “vested interests” fear Amamekwe would expose them.
“It is about vested interests. Some people believe that Anamekwe will expose them and decided to level an allegation against him so that he will leave the stage.
“It is something we have seen happen in several government MDAs, so it is not new. I am not saying that he is clean, but based on what I have heard, some people do not want him.”
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Anamekwe not sacked, says Presidency source
Anamekwe was not sacked but transferred to the office of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), where he is now Director of Audit “serving his balance of days” until his retirement in October, a Presidency source told The PUNCH.
Anamekwe was appointed acting Account General on 22 May amid a probe into allegation of N170 billion fraud against Idris.
But Anamekwe’s own investigation by the EFCC and the embarrassment Aso Rock felt over his disclosure that Abuja is borrowing money to pay salaries led to his being sidelined. He made the disclosure on 14 June and was replaced seven days later.
“The man was not sacked, dismissed or suspended. He was transferred from the Office of the Accountant General the Federation, where he was acting AGF, to the Federal Civil Service Commission.
“He was posted out as Director of Audit, Federal Civil Service Commission,” the source explained.
“The indication is that the man would possibly be just serving out the balance of days left before his retirement, which is in October. He possibly will just maybe apply for preterminal leave. But that’s how it is.
“And the transfer was on account of the controversies that surrounded his appointment as acting Accountant General of the Federation. That’s the language used: ‘controversies around the issue.’”