Fear grips APC ministers, as Buhari orders appointees to submit hand over notes
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered Customs Comptroller General, Hameed Ali, the accountant general of the federation and 12 other heads of agencies under the Ministry of Finance to submit their handing over notes latest by April 23.
The directive was contained in a circular with reference no: FMF/PSSD/HON/32 dated April 8, 2019 and signed by the Minister of Finance, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed.
The development has however sent fears down the spine of many APC ministers who may be affected.
According to the circular which was exclusively obtained by the Daily Times on Wednesday, permanent secretaries and heads of extra-ministerial departments and auditor-general of the federation were also directed to send in their handover briefs.
Others affected by the circular include, the Debt Management Office, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigeria Deposit Insurance Cooperation (NDIC), National Insurance Commission, Investment and Security Tribunal, National Economic Reconstruction Fund, Nigeria Export Import Bank, Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON), Development Bank of Nigeria and Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority.
The minister revealed that the development was to ensure a comprehensive handing over notes for the smooth and effective transition to the in-coming administration on May 29.
The handover notes she further revealed are to be prepared in soft copies, hard copies must as well contain lists of files under the custody of all the MDAs.
The memo reads in part: ”Following the recently concluded presidential election, preparations are in place to successfully conclude the current administration come May 29, 2019.
As part of the process of transition, all agencies and departments under the Federal Ministry of Finance are directed to prepare their handover notes.
“All handover notes should be submitted to the permanent secretary (special duties) on or before April, 23, 2019. Ensure full compliance.”
In a related development, The Senate during plenary on Wednesday reworked and passed the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), Electoral Act amendment Bill 2019, and five other bills rejected by President Buhari.
The Senate passed these bills after its technical committee worked on President Buhari’s observations and re-drafted the affected clauses.
The PIGB seeks to make the Nigerian Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NPRC) the sole regulator overseeing the licensing, monitoring and supervising of petroleum operations.
It also gives the NPRC the powers to enforce industry laws, regulations, and standards.
On the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, President Buhari had explained that he declined assent because assenting to new legislation so close to the 2019 general elections would cause confusion.
Other bills the lawmakers passed along the PIGB are the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism bill 2019, National Research and Innovation Council bill 2019, Stamp Duties act (amendment) bill 2019 and National Agricultural Seed Council bill 2019.
