24th October, 2017
Dirty details of how the wanted former chairman of the presidential task force on pension reforms task team, Abdulrasheed Maina, was reinstated in the civil service and made a director despite being on the run for alleged N2b scam have been revealed.
The reinstatement of Maina was facilitated by no other than the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, The Nation reports.
Following this sordid revelation, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to move fast and redeem his image and the anti-corruption crusade by sacking the AGF and the Minister of the Interior, Lt. Gen Abdurahman Dambazau who orchestrated the reinstatement of Maina.
Many believed that Malami, Dambazau and Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, are members of a cabal in the government trying to recruit more members for the re-election of the president in 2019.
Contrary to earlier reports, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, in her response to a query issued her over the issue by President Buhari, did not play any part in the reinstatement of the ex-pension boss, rather she had advised against Maina’s recall, but she was overruled.
The Nation reports that a committee made up of top officials dubbed Senior Staff Committee (SSC) from the Ministry of Interior recommended Maina’s reinstatement
The details of those who authorised Maina’s return were contained in a letter of reinstatement sent to the wanted officer by the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC).
The letter dated September 18, was also sent to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation by the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC).
The letter, which was reportedly signed by Mustapha L. Sulaiman for the FCSC chairman, indicated that the AGF advised the FCSC that Maina should be reinstated.
Read the letter below:
“Kindly refer to the Attorney-General of the Federation/ Honourable Minister of Justice letter Ref. No. HAGF/FCSC/2017/ VOL. 1/3 dated 27th April 2017 requesting Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) to give consequential effect to the judgment that voided the warrant of arrest issued against A.A. Maina which formed the basis for the query and his eventual dismissal.
“Further to the aforementioned letter, the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) at its meeting held on 14th June, 2017 deliberated on the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF’s) letter and requested the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) vide letter FC.4029/82/VOL.III/160 of 21st June 2017 to advise the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior to consider the AGF’s letter, the Officer’s case and make appropriate recommendation to the Commission.
“The OHCSF accordingly advised the Ministry of Interior to consider the matter. The Ministry of Interior at its Senior Staff Committee (SSC)’s meeting held on 22nd June, 2017 considered the disciplinary case against the Officer and the letter by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice seeking the reinstatement of the Officer as a Director (Administration), SGL. 17 in the Federal Civil Service.
“The Ministry of Interior’s Senior Staff Committee (SSC) deliberated on the case and recommended that Mr. Maina be reinstated into the service as Deputy Director. SGL. 16. The Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) vide letter Ref. No. HCSF/LU/ COR/ FCSC/749/III/ 135 dated 14th August 2017 forwarded the recommendations of the Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior to the FCSC for further necessary action.
“The FCSC at its meeting held on Wednesday, 16th August, 2017 considered the letter from the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the recommendations of the Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior on the disciplinary case against Alhaji Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina, Deputy Director (Administration), Salary Grade Level 16.
“The FCSC, thereafter, approved the reinstatement of the Officer into the Service with effect from 21st February, 2013(being the date he was earlier dismissed from Service). “The FCSC also approved for the Officer to sit for the next promotion examination to the Post of Director (Administration), SGL. 17.”
In addition, some top government sources said the AGF, Federal Civil Service Sommission (FCSC) and the officials of the Ministry of Interior facilitated the recall of the ex-pension boss.
“The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation insisted that the reinstatement of Maina was absurd and illegal. She did not play any role in the entire process which led to the recall of the dismissed officer.
“In fact, she refused to add a sentence or a line to a memo routed through her office to the so-called Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior. It is not within the mandate of the SSC to determine a grievous disciplinary case involving Maina,” one official stated. Another official said:
“When some forces were determined to bring Maina back, the Head of the Civil Service took precautionary measures and warned that the process will fail.
“Instead, what the FCSC did was to compel the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to forward the recommendations of the Senior Staff Committee (SSC) of the Ministry of Interior to it for further necessary action.
“All the documents are intact and they will be presented to President Muhammadu Buhari. I am sure more heads will roll. All the SSC members have no business being in office again.”