Mr. Jonah Ogunniyi Otunla has been appointed as Accountant General of the Federation by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation Professor Oladapo Afolabi, who announced the approval of the appointment by President Jonathan said that the appointment of Mr. Jonah is with effect from July 1, 2011.

Professor Afolabi also announced that President Jonathan has confirmed the appointment of the current acting Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Aderemi Babatunde Ogunsanya, as the Accountant-General of the Federation, until June 30, 2011 when he retires from the Federal Civil Service.

Mr. Ogunsanya has been serving as the acting Accountant-General of the Federation after the retirement of his predecessor Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo on December 31, 2010.

Born on June 12, 1955, the new Accountant General obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife in 1979 and also acquired Fellowship of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, amongst other professional qualifications.

Mr. Otunla started his career as an Account Management Trainee (Audit) with the then Lever Brothers PLC (now Unilever) from 1980-1989. He then moved to the public service at the Oyo State Agricultural Development Programme (World Bank Assisted) - 1989-1997, from where he rose to become the state Accountant-General (1997-2004).

In 2004 he joined the Federal Civil Service in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and had served in the following positions: Director, Commercial/Finance, National Hospital, Abuja; Director of Finance and Accounts at the Nigeria Immigration Service; Ministry of Defence and at the Federal Ministry of Education.