*HOS says ‘I do not own proxy company under any guise’
* Admits introducing people to some perm secs
AS the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) steps up
investigation into a N3 billion contract scam, the Head of the
Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, has
pleaded that the case against her be stepped down.
The number one civil servant is begging that she should be
allowed to “retire honourably.”
Although she admitted introducing some people to some Permanent
Secretaries for assistance, she said she was doing so “without
realizing the implication.”
She said she does not own proxy companies under any guise and
has no many upscale assets in Abuja.
She said although she collected Duty Tour Allowance (DTA)
without traveling, the indulgence was not a regular occurrence.
She also alleged that the EFCC had planned to arraign her on
August 19 but she had to remain in a hospital to take care of her
health.
Her plea came against the filling of witness forms by some
Permanent Secretaries and Directors of Finance and Administration
in order to testify against some contracts when the formal trial of
some suspects begins.
Detectives have also discovered that the Project Accountant, in
whose account N600 million was found, is on Grade Level 12.
Oyo-Ita, however, said the Accountant in the Office of the Head
of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) was not her aide but
he reports to a Director of Finance and Administration who also
reports to a Permanent Secretary before the Head of Service comes
into the picture.
The foregoing snippets are contained in Oyo-Ita’s plea to those
she is begging to intercede on her behalf before President
Muhammadu Buhari.
A part of the snippets saw her saying: “Please, please, please,
have mercy on me. I am begging for mercy that this case against me
should be stepped down and I should be allowed to retire
honourably.
“I do not own proxy companies. Several people came to me to
introduce them to Permanent Secretaries. I have been doing this
without realising the implication.”
On DTA, two top shots who are mediating on her behalf said she
confessed to have collected these estacodes without traveling only
“a few times.”
One of the sources, a former bureaucrat, quoted her as saying:
“Due to work pressure, I am not able to travel after collecting DTA
or estacodes.”
The source added: “She wants soft-landing from the Presidency
because some of the contracts under investigation predated her
appointment as the Head of Service. They were awarded between 2013
and 2014. “Her greatest fears border on alleged moves by the EFCC
to put her on trial alongside a former minister. “She said there
was an initial plan to arraign her in court on August 19 but for
providence that she was in the hospital for medical treatment.”
A second source, who is one of the strong supporters of the
President, said: “She evoked much emotion when she was begging for
mercy. “Apart from reliving the past, especially PTF days with
President Muhammadu Buhari, she said she has been ‘absolutely
loyal’ to this administration.
“She also said the Project Accountant is not her aide at all
despite the fact that he is a staff in the Office of the Head of
the Civil Service of the Federation.
“Her argument is that the Project Accountant with N600 million
in his account reports to a Director of Finance and Administration
who also reports to a Permanent Secretary before the Head of
Service is in the picture.
“We have done our best to lay all the cards on the table before
the powers that be. It is left for the President to determine her
fate in the light of the investigation report of the anti-graft
commission and her defence.”
No record of her resignation, says
Presidency
On the circumstances surrounding her resumption yesterday, there
were rumours that the Presidency might have rejected her plans to
either resign or retire. It was learnt that the Head of Service
confided in the staff in her office that the Presidency directed
her to go ahead with her work pending the conclusion of
investigation.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and
Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said last night: “We are not aware
of any letter of resignation. There is no record of it in the
registry. So, questions pertaining to it ought not to arise.”
At press time, there were indications that the anti-graft agency
had uncovered that the OHCSF officer with N600 million in his
account is on Grade Level 12.
A reliable source said: “So far, we have discovered that he is a
GL 12 officer. He is answering questions on how he came about such
a huge amount in his account.
“Officially, the amount allowed in any project account at any
time is between N10 million and N15 million. The ongoing
investigation might reveal the real purpose for keeping such a huge
cash.
“We have various bends to the investigation and some Permanent
Secretaries and Directors of Finance and Administration have filled
the witness form to testify on some contracts when a formal trial
of suspects begins.”
Responding to a question, the source added: “We may still invite
Oyo-Ita for interrogation. The amount involved is huge.”
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