REVEALED: Real Reason Buhari Removed Anamekwe As Acting Accountant-General After Five Weeks In Office 

The federal government’s decision to remove Mr. Chukwuyere Anamekwe, as Acting Accountant-General of the Federation was to punish him for saying that the government was borrowing to pay salaries.

An informed source in the presidency told Vanguard, in Abuja, Tuesday, that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari was highly embarrassed by Mr. Anamekwe’s comment.

He told the Cash Management officials that the federal government was augmenting its paltry revenues with borrowed funds, an effort to drive home the need for greater discipline in the management of government funds.

Mr. Anamekwe had spoken at a retreat organised by the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) for members of the Technical Sub-committee On Cash Management (TSCM), on June 14, 2022, in Nassarawa State.

He was quoted as saying, “Due to dwindling revenues, the treasury had to resort to other sources in order to augment for the payment of federal government public servants. It is absurd. Ordinarily we shouldn’t borrow to pay salaries.
“These issues call for an articulated deployment of fiscal discipline and strategies that will help mitigate these challenges

“Now that these challenges stare us in the face, you are all expected at this gathering to come out with ideas that will push us through.
“Therefore, we must all, at this retreat strive towards identifying the challenges to revenue generation and other means of enhancing inflow into Federal Government coffers; ensuring the cutting down the cost of governance in the most acceptable way and ensuring synergy amongst and within stakeholders in the sub-committee”,

As learnt, the moment the comment became public, top officials of the administration took a decision to remove Mr. Anamekwe as his position was considered anti-government, as the government had insisted in the past that its borrowings were for investments in various sectors of the economy.

In a matter of days, it was gathered that the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, was directed to commence the process for the appointment of a substantive AGF to replace Mr Idris. Ahmed who was suspended following his arrest and detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an allegation of an N80 billion fraud.

In less than a week after the Anamekwe comment, Dr. Yemi Esan issued a memo, inviting Accountants of Grade Level 17 in the service to apply for the job.

Although there were reports of allegations of corruption against Mr. Anamekwe, it was learnt that it was not the reason for his removal, as he was redeployed to the Federal Civil Service Commission and not suspended or sacked, as would have been the case.

Following the ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Ahmed Idris, for financial impropriety, the federal government has appointed Mr Anamekwe Chukwunyere Nwabuoku to oversee the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF).