Metro

Transparency groups allege massive corruption in NEDC

Published

1 year ago

March 10, 2023

Two transparency groups have threatened to drag the leadership of North East Development Commission (NEDC) to the EFCC and ICPC over alleged mismanagement of N146.19 billion.

The groups, People Advocacy for Transparency and Accountability (PATAI) and Al-Mushaid Initiative for Transparency and Accountability (AITA), gave the NEDC up to March 15, to respond to the allegations.

The Executive Chairman of PATAI, Mr Francis Bassey, and the President of AITA, Amb. Aminu Majidadi, issued the ultimatum during a joint news conference on Thursday in Abuja.

According to them, the commission has refused to respond to the petition earlier sent to it by some patriotic Nigerians.

He added that the two groups have also sent three reminders to the commission dated Janu. 18 and 31, as well as Feb. 14, 2023, without response.

Bassey explained that the core allegations bordered on corruption, financial misappropriation and abuse of office.

He claimed that the N146.19 billion was the budgetary allocation to the commission.

According to him, money has been paid in full for projects not completed or even abandoned.

“The abandoned projects include construction of central workshop in Maiduguri, Borno; construction of Birma Primary School at Kashimbila in Taraba; Madagali and Pinlla primary schools projects in Adamawa.

“Others are supply of equipment at Eye Clinic Centre in Azare; construction of ICT training centre; construction of College of Legal and Islamic Studies, Misau, all in Bauchi state,” he said.

Bassey listed other abandoned projects to include the mass housing project in Dadin Kowa, Gombe State, and 200 mass housing units in Nguru as well as a 300 mass housing project in Damatutru, both in Yobe.

He claimed that there were also abandoned projects in Jalingo, Sadauna, Zing and Ussa Local Government Areas of Taraba, among others.

According to him, the two groups have conducted thorough investigation of the claims in the petitions and awaiting the response of the NEDC.

He said that their concern was to ensure accountability in the handling of public funds so that it would benefit Nigerians.

“It is on the account of promoting transparency and accountability by holding those in authority accountable that we gave the Commission a chance to respond to issues of grave allegations raised against them.

“We also wrote several memos to the Commission to address the issues raised in the petitions against them. It is sad to note that they have not responded positively to our enquiries till date,” he stated.

Reacting to the allegations, the Head, Corporate Services, NEDC, Mr Abba Musa, denied the allegations, describing it as baseless.

“You and I know that in this regime it is not possible that you will mismanage over N146 billion and nothing will happen, the process itself will not make it possible. So, it is not true.

“No matter how, even your conscience will not allow you to do that, but truly speaking there is nothing like that.

“All I know is that I have met with them and I told them I was travelling and if I come back I will still see them.

“But if they decided to go the way of the media there is nothing anyone can do now. We will wait until we are officially invited,” Musa said.

Metro

Osun Poly Student, Olanrewaju Olatona killed by hit-and-run one-way driver

Published

7 days ago

April 18, 2024

Ifunaya Emeka

A Student Of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Osun State, has died after being hit by a trailer driver on Monday, April 15.

The Accident was said to have occurred when the driver, who was reportedly driving against traffic, collided with the motorcycle conveying a student named Olanrewaju Olatona and another passenger along the Ikirun-Osogbo road area of the state.

Due to the severe impact, Olanrewaju Olatona, a National Diploma 2 student, suffered fatal injuries. He died at the scene.

Olatona, who was the Financial Secretary of the Department of Mass Communication, was preparing for the one-year Industrial Training programme.

The driver fled the scene after the accident and has not been apprehended.

Subsequently, Osun State Polytechnic students organised a procession in front of the school gate and blocked the expressway for several hours.

Headline

Unknown Gunmen Abduct Channelstv Reporter In Port-harcourt

Published

2 weeks ago

April 12, 2024

Ifunaya Emeka

Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.

The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.

Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.

Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.

His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.