Edugate: CISLAC Kicks Against Appointment Of Perm Sec, Enitan To Oversee Ministry
Transparency International (TI) Nigeria and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) have taken a swipe at the retention of the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan to oversee the affairs of the ministry.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the Executive Director of CISLAC, Mr. Auwal Ibrahim Musa Rafsanjani, who is also the Head of Transparency international in Nigeria, said that it was unacceptable that Mr Enitan, who is the Accounting officer in the ministry when such monumental financial scandal took place, would be allowed to supervise the same ministry.
Rafsanjani stressed that the development would compromise the investigation, adding that it was also at best, an insult on the intelligence of the public.
Transparency International also said that the impression being created in the minds of right thinking people was that the government is planning a river of the heist and abuse of public trust.
Rafgsanjani noted that by the nation’s extant laws and regulations, the Permanent Secretary is the accounting officer who should have been suspended along with the Minister.
In the words of Rafsanjani; “Ministers work based on the recommendations of civil servants led by the Permanent Secretary.
“There is no evidence that the Permanent did not participate in the matters being investigated. In any case, the Permanent Secretary did not object to what happened and should be a subject of investigations.
“We are seriously perturbed that top officers who are connected with approvals and sanctions of financial and procurement process within the Ministry like the Permanent Secretary are yet to be suspended or subjected to thorough investigation till their innocence is proven, instead they are promoted to sensitive positions where the ongoing investigation could easily be hampered or sabotaged.
“Appointment of Mr. Enitan to head the Ministry will certainly undermine the credibility and respect accorded the current administration,” he stressed.
He therefore called President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to as a matter of urgency and national concern, rescind his decision to appoint the Permanent Secretary and other persons who should as well be under serious investigation to occupy such a sensitive position pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation and scrutiny of the Ministry by the anti-corruption agencies.
Rafsanjani also tasked President Tinubu to consider persons with integrity, track record and free of corruption background in future appointments to demonstrate the readiness for good governance in Nigeria.
CISLAC equally called on Civil Society Organisations, the media and other well-meaning Nigerians to remain vigilant by rejecting unjustified or secluded appointments, to ensure inclusive reform that will enhance transparency and accountability in governance in the country.
