The protracted leadership crisis rocking Nigeria Project Development Institute (PRODA)Enugu, has yet to settle down, more than two years after it started.
Thus, the Secretary of Government of the Federation (SGF) released the report of its investigation into complaints of mismanagement, splitting of contracts, nepotism, sabotage, among others, against the management of a former head of the Executive. agency official, Charles Agulana.
The report recommended that Mr. Agulana, who was suspended in November 2020, should embark on a terminal license immediately.
However, Mr. Agulana’s successor and former director of the electricity, power and electronics department, Fabian Okonkwo, was also abruptly dismissed.
Until his appointment as the agency’s acting director general in 2020, two other officials had struggled to take control of the organization’s affairs.
The duo of Nathan Abia-Bassey, then deputy director of the department of industrial promotion, information and documentation (IPID), and Edwin Oriaku, then the second most important official of the institute after Agulana, had fought to take control of the agency. on conflicting directives.
But based on a letter of appointment dated December 7, 2020, with the reference number FMST/DAS/385/II/T and signed by the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Edet Akpan, the Mr. Okonkwo resumed as acting director general pending the investigation instituted by the SGF office.
However, following allegations of insubordination, violation of procurement laws, illegal suspension and dismissal of workers, and corrupt practices, Mr. Okonkwo was replaced on January 25, 2022 by the director of the ceramic production and research department, Arit Etukudo.
Arit Etukudo, new interim CEO of PRODA
PREMIUM TIMES has learned that Ms. Etukudo, who is said to be the next highest-ranking official on the agency’s nominal list, and who has since taken over the administration of the institute, is yet to be handed over by Mr. Okonkwo, who is kicking against his elimination.
Mr. Okonkwo is said to have absconded from work since being asked to hand him over to Ms. Etukudo through a letter dated January 21, 2022 and signed by a supervising permanent secretary at the ministry of science, technology and innovation, Idowu Afe, on behalf of the minister, Ogbonaya Onu.
Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu
The letter, with reference number; FMSTI/HM/2021/005/III, was titled; “Re-Request for Clarification on the Role of the PRODA Board and Management in the Face of Recent Board Guidelines, Immediate Instruction to Call a Meeting of the PRODA Governing Board and the Report of the Administrative Panel to Investigate Activities in PRODA. ”
“As a consequence of the numerous accusations leveled against you and in accordance with the principle of natural justice, it has become expedient for you to step aside as supervising director general of PRODA to allow a more thorough investigation to be carried out and fair,” the letter to Mr. Okonkwo reads in part.
But Okonkwo told PREMIUM TIMES that he didn’t run away from office but was sick. He described his removal from office as an illegal and unconstitutional measure allegedly perpetrated by what he described as enemies of the research institute.
Accusations against Okonkwo
Various official documents and memorandums obtained by this newspaper revealed a series of accusations leveled against Mr. Okonkwo’s administration including non-compliance with relevant provisions of the public procurement law in awarding contracts, illegal cancellation of contracts duly awarded by predecessors , default and diversion. of the contractors’ funds and the refusal to submit the worker promotion report to the board and the supervising ministry.
The former acting director general has also been accused by the supervising ministry of insubordination by directly communicating with the federation government secretary’s office and also with President Muhammadu Buhari without routing them through the ministry.
“You can imagine the minister receiving information about what is happening in an agency under his supervision through the SGF office. And this is an official whose letter of appointment was signed by the minister himself. Such boorish conduct cannot be tolerated by any serious ministry,” an agency official, who does not want to be named for fear of victimization, told the PREMIUM TIMES reporter.
The source added that Mr. Okonkwo refused to submit the 2021 staff promotion report to the institute’s new board of directors for ratification.
“And the reason for that was simple. He was avoiding the board session in order not to allow deliberations on various allegations against him,” the source added.
BPP write ICPC
After what it deemed a “deliberate disregard for procurement laws”, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), a Nigerian government agency in charge of monitoring compliance with public procurement laws and regulations, has recommended the agency for investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Crimes Commission (CIPC).
In a letter dated November 22, 2021 and addressed to the office of ICPC CEO Bolaji Owasanoye, BPP urged the anti-corruption agency to investigate the agency’s procurement activities for the 2018, 2019 and 2020 financial years.
The letter, with reference number; BPP/S.1/PAR/CCM/21/Vol.1/026, and signed by the agency’s director general, Mamman Ahmadu, noted that the result of the agency’s procurement audit revealed “several violations of the Act of Public Procurement, 2007 by PRODA that seemed to be deliberate…”
Mr. Ahmadu said that details of his audit findings were attached to the letter to properly guide ICPC in its activities.
In its conclusion in the audit report of the agency’s contracting activities for the years 2018, 2019 and 2020, a copy of which was obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, BPP noted that the violations were more pronounced in 2020 after what it considered non-compliance. of the law by Lord Okonkwo.
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“Based on the results of the procurement audit, the institute did not substantially comply with the relevant sections of the Public Procurement Law of 2007 and current government policies that guide public procurement during the implementation of its procurement under review, especially for the year 2020 under the leadership of the interim CEO, Engineer Fabian Okonkwo”, BPP wrote as part of its recommendations.
Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu EFCC invites official
In a similar development, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) also invited an official from the institute following its investigations into the “contract award for the empowerment/training of farmers in pig farming, production/ cassava processing and fish farming”.
The letter, which was addressed to the agency’s Acting Director General and CEO, and dated December 22, 2021, was signed by EFCC Chief Operating Officer Abdulkarim Chukkol.
referenced; CR:3000/EFCC/ABJ/HQ/PFS/TC/VOL.10/32, the letter noted that the commission is investigating an alleged case of conspiracy and embezzlement “in which the need to seek clarification from your office becomes imperative.”
On the same subject, the EFCC wrote another letter dated January 24, 2022 and invited the head of the agency’s procurement unit, Chukwudi Ihunweza, to meet with his men on Thursday, February 10, 2022 at its headquarters in Abuja. , territory of the federal capital.
The new letter, which was also signed by Mr. Chukkol with reference number CR:3000/EFCC/ABJ/HQ/PFS/TC/VOL.11/65, requested the agency’s director of procurement to submit a report information about the training, details of the trainers, trainees and attendance record, photos and videos taken during the training, and certificate of completion of the work given to the contractor, among other relevant documents.
Okonkwo beleaguered reacts
Contrary to BPP’s claim, Okonkwo said he was aware of the agency’s audit report on the 2020 acquisitions and that the issues raised had already been resolved. “But if there is a follow-up or something additional about it, I am not aware of it.”
In a phone conversation with our reporter, talking about his deportation, he said: “My deportation there is illegal and I have filed a report with the proper authorities and it is being followed up. I made a presentation to the corresponding offices, telling them the injustice that is against the rule”.
On the invitation from the EFCC, Mr. Okonkwo said that there was nothing new in the invitation extended to its officials by the anti-corruption agency, saying that it is normal for the EFCC to invite someone for questioning.
He also debunked the claim that he ran away from work, saying; “That’s not true. Now I have some health problems, so I’m taking care of myself.”
He, however, refused to reveal why he did not hand over the new interim CEO and whether the agency’s new management is aware of his whereabouts.