women group supports AGF’s reform plan.

Women Professional Alliances (NWPA), a civil society organisation, has backed the reform agenda of the Accountant-General of the Federation (AGF), Mrs. Oluwatoyin Madein.

Mrs. Christine Ezekwe, the group’s spokesperson, announced this at a press conference on Sunday in Abuja.

She instructed the AGF to continue committed to carrying out her responsibilities and working to clean up the system.

All purported malicious ganging up against the AGF by some individuals within would fail, according to Ezekwe.

She urged Madein not to be sidetracked in the performance of her duties, but to remain steadfast in the face of adversity.

According to the spokesman, the group chose to speak out in response to “unprovoked attacks against a woman who is simply doing her professional, noble job.”

“We read in the media that some personnel wrote a petition against the Accountant-General of the Federation, claiming she did not qualify for the position.”

“How on earth will people who see her progress as a well-educated professional wake up one day to fabricate such a heinous lie?”

“When Madein was appointed the AGF, there was joy and high expectations across all facets of Nigeria, regardless of gender, religious, or ethnic affiliation.”

She stated that Madein’s emergence gave hope to millions of young girls across the federation’s 36 states and the FCT.

“Today, a few men woke up, wrote a petition, and wanted to paint her black for not dancing to their tunes,” she claimed.

Ezekwe asked the AGF to carry out her responsibilities with zeal.

According to her, it will allow the AGF to realise President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to give Nigerians renewed optimism.

“We find it very disturbing that women in positions of authority go through a lot.”

“Many people believe that because they are women, they cannot make difficult decisions or be bosses.”

“Some can endure incompetence and non-performance from anyone, but when it comes to women working upright in the discharge of their duties, they get very offended.”

Dr. Osamudiamen Isokpehi, Coordinator of the Pro-Impact Initiative, stated that no amount of scheming against the AGF would halt the usual posting of staff at the Treasury House.

Isokpehi warned her against blackmailing, which prevented her from carrying out much-needed system reforms and cleansing.

“Those behind these acts appear not to understand the extent to which they have exposed their self-centeredness and shallow-mindedness in the said petition.”

He emphasised some of the AGF’s current innovations, such as a bottom-up cash plan that ensures improved capital budget implementation.

This, he claims, will ensure that different agencies develop their own monthly cash requirements, as opposed to the current practise of providing funding to MDAs regardless of their needs.

He added that another reform championed by the AGF is the establishment of a strategic revenue management team to boost internally generated revenues (IGR).

He stated that the team then established a technical subcommittee that would be trained in data analytics and would be able to manage the data of agencies who are not already on GIFMIS directly from the AGF’s office.”

He cautioned that “a system in which people, particularly those at the top are unwilling to accept reforms or changes cannot work.”

Isokpehi urged Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, to dismiss the petition against the AGF.

He asked him to concentrate his efforts on the realisation of a thriving economy under President Tinubu’s renewed hope agenda.

He also urged the petitioners to withdraw it immediately and apologise to the AGF for the sake of the country.