Buhari aware of Maina’s reinstatement, I warned him —HoS in leaked memo

The Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita,  has said  President Muhammadu Buhari is aware of the reinstatement of a former Chairman  of the Pension Reforms Commission, Mallam Abdulrasheed Maina, into the civil service.

She however said she warned the President against it.

Oyo-Ita said that her warning was based on the implications such reinstatement would have on the anti-corruption war of the Federal Government.

The HoS stated this in her memo to the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr. Abba Kyari.

The memo, with reference number HSCSF/HCSF/LU/COR/FCSC/750/T, was dated October 23, 2017.

The memo, titled, “Re: Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina,” was received in the office of the Chief of Staff to the President on October 23.

A copy of the memo was sighted by our correspondent in Abuja on Monday.

The President had directed the HoS to investigate the circumstances that surrounded the return of Maina to the civil service.

He gave the directive following the public outcry that trailed Maina’s reinstatement.

Maina, whose whereabouts is still unknown,  has been accused of embezzling pensioners’ funds running into billions of naira and is currently under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Explaining further, the HoS said she met the President after the Federal Executive Council meeting of Wednesday,  October 11, where she verbally warned Buhari against bringing Maina back to the service.

She, however, did not say what the response of the President was after briefing him.

Oyo-Ita said, “Please, note that the OHCSF was never in agreement with the reinstatement and consequently never conveyed the approval of the FCPC to Mr. A. A. Maina, nor approved his posting to the Ministry of Interior or any other MDA

“Rather, I sought audience with His Excellency, Mr. President on Wednesday, 11th October, 2017 after the FEC meeting where I briefed His Excellency verbally on the wide-ranging implications of the reinstatement of Mr. A. A. Maina, especially the damaging impact on the anti-corruption stance of this administration.”

The letter partly read, “Further to your letter Ref. SH/COS/100/A/1570 dated 23rd October, 2017 on the above subject matter, I write to inform you of the circumstances leading to the irregular recall of Mr. Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina.

“I wrote to place on record the following facts as it permits to Mr. A. A. Maina who was dismissed from service on 21st February, 2013.

“The move to recall Mr. A. A. Maina was at the instance of a series of letters from the Attorney General of the Federation to the Federal Civil Service Commission requesting the commission to give consequential effect to the judgement that voided the warrant of arrest issued against Mr. A. A. Maina which formed the basis for the query and his eventual dismissal.

“The letters herewith attached as Annexes I-III are:

(a)  Ref. HAGF/FFCSC/2017/VOL.1/1 dated 19th January 2017,

(b) Ref. HAGF/FFCSC/2017/VOL.1/ 2 dated 21st February 2017; and

(c)Ref. HAGF/FFCSC/2017/VOL.1/1 dated 27th April 2017.

“The FCSC thereafter requested that the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation should advise the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior to consider the AGF’s letter and make appropriate recommendations to the commission and this was so communicated to the Ministry of Interior.

“The Ministry of Interior took the matter to the Senior Staff Committee of the ministry and recommended the reinstatement of Mr. A. A. Maina into the service as Deputy Director.

Punch