Scandal swirling about the Director General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Yusuf Bichi, has excited response from the secret agency.
Bichi has been in the news for the wrong reasons, bordering on allegation of appropriating subsidy grant meant for staff and paying himself purported “goodbye allowance” as he is believed to be on his way out of the DSS.
The latter’s Director of Public Relations and Strategic Communications, Peter Afunanya denied both charges.
Afunanya wrote in a statement he released, “The Service hereby states that the allegations are entirely false. It wishes to clarify that neither the DG nor anyone acting on his directive has looted staff subsidy grant.
“No such grant has been made available to the Service and once that is allocated, staff will, as usual, receive what is due them. Mr Bichi has, in all ramifications, evidently catered for the welfare of active and retired personnel. This is common knowledge and can be verified.
“Similarly, the so-called ‘goodbye allowance’ which the DG was accused of granting himself is non-existent. It is only the imagination of the writer and his sponsors. But assuming the DG is paid any severance package at the end of his tenure, how is that unethical and outside the established public service rule?
“While at his mischief once again and the writer has continued to smear the image of Mr Bichi as well as present him as corrupt, facts at the DSS show otherwise.
“Recalled from retirement in 2018 and appointed the DGSS, Bichi is seen as spartan, accountable, transparent and indeed, incorruptible. He has remained resolute in running the Service and shown uncommon commitment in the management of its affairs.”
