News
BPP accused of protecting PRODA DG over failure to Implement Audit Report
Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) is currently facing pressure from the Academic Staff Union of Research Institutes (ASURI), for the bureau’s inability to carry out disciplinary action against the Acting Director General of the Project Development Institute, Enugu in Enugu State (PRODA), Dr. Fabian Okonkwo.
The PRODA DG is accused of alleged gross misconduct and failure to implement the contents of the audit report carried out by the federal government body submitted since May 2021.
The union which is the umbrella body of all the academic staff of research institutions with PRODA as a member had allegedly accused the acting director general of the institute of insubordination culminating into criminal, unethical, extortion and unpatriotic activities of the PRODA management as well as ignoring the directive of the bureau contained in the audit report.
In the interim procurement audit report on PRODA for the Financial Year 2018, 2019 and 2020, submitted since May 7, 2021, BPP mandated the acting Director General, Dr. Okonkwo to commence the recovering of some substantial amount of money running into several millions of Naira paid to the firms under the nullified/cancelled contracts, and was also required to comply with the Bureau’s directive or else face the full weight of the law that established the institution.
Part of the recommendation in the audit report states, “You are required to submit to the Bureau on or before Monday, 31st May 2021, documentary evidence of compliance to the Bureau’s directives as indicated in the report. However, if the Bureau does not receive your response on or before the deadline, the Bureau will implement Paragraph 9.7 of the procurement audit report by recommending to Mr. President, disciplinary measures in line with the Public Procurement Act, 2007”, the directives stated.
However, BPP seems to have given up on the directives several months after it issued the warning to Dr. Okonkwo over his inability to follow due process in the procurement matters relating to the award of contracts, illegal sacking of staff and non-implementation of the audit report.
Also, there was an alleged disregard of the acting director general of the Institute to flout instructions by BPP to pay contractors that had their contracts fully performed in accordance with the terms of their contract agreement so long as such contracts met the specifications and certificated from the appropriate authorities indicating the completion of such contracts.
Speaking to newsmen, the Union’s National Secretary, Dr. Theophilous Ndubuaku expressed dismay over the inability of the bureau to carry out disciplinary measures against the acting director general for his flagrant neglect of the directives from the supervising federal government agency as well as purportedly sacking and suspending some of their members in the procurement department for insisting that due process be followed in the award of contracts.
He recalled that during the public hearing with the House of Representatives which lasted for three days specifically February 18, 24 and 25, 2021, the House of Representatives instructed the acting Director General of PRODA not to cancel any contract that had been awarded which passed through due approval from the bureau.
The acting director general was also instructed to recall all procurement officers suspended or sacked without due process to continue to perform their functions.
According to him, Onje was suspended alongside Dr. Agulana who was the substantive director general which brought in the acting director general, Dr. Okonkwu.
However, Okonkwo is still taking instructions from the former chairman, Onje whose three years tenure ended in March 2021. Onje told the National Assembly that Okonkwo deceived them (Board) that the bureau approved the cancellation of the contracts.
A letter from the Ministry of Science and Technology with Ref. No. FMST/PRPA/735/1 of August 5, 2021 reminded the Chairman and members of the end of their tenure which was March 7, 2021.
In the Bureau interim procurement audit report on PRODA for the Financial Year 2018, 2019 and 2020 dated May 7, 2021 with Ref No. BPP/S.1/PAR/CCM/21/Vol.1/024 and signed by its Director General, Mamman Ahmadu, it was observed that the reasons adduced by the acting director general of PRODA to cancel an existing contracts does not conform with or cannot be supported by any provisions of the public procurement act, 2007.
The audit report also recommended that the acting director general should commence the process of recovering monies paid to firms including Messrs Bond Associates Nigeria Limited N47.3 million, Vivid R&D Partnership N48.6 million, and Maysu Construction Limited N46.5 million.
However, instead of recovering the monies, the acting director general went ahead to award more contracts to the companies without following the directives given to him.
“There was no reason to cancel an ongoing or a concluded procurement process, without first seeking the Bureau’s position or relying on the relevant sections of the Public Procurement Act, 2007. For the avoidance of doubt, the reasons highlighted by the acting director general of PRODA for the cancellation of the 2020 procurement are not admissible.
“The procurement filing system at PRODA is cumbersome as the project files were observed to be domiciled with several officers and the office of the acting director general of PRODA leaving the procurement department with few documents. This made file location and retrieval for the audit exercise difficult.
“There was no evidence to show that the PRODA conducted due diligence/post- qualification in line with sections 16(7), 23(10) and 32(3)(1) of public procurement act, 2007 and SGF’s circular with Ref. No. SGF.50/5.52/III/652 dated October 11, 2017 on the winning bidders in the years under review.”
“There is a need to strengthen the institute’s procurement unit to fill in the obvious gap for the administrative lapses and institutional deficiencies observed in the PRODA procurement activities by certifying more procurement officers to enhance efficiency, productivity, proficiency and capacity building”, it stated.
Investigation indicated that the acting director general of PRODA, Dr. Okonkwo was mandated to commence the recovering of some substantial amount of money paid to the firms under the nullified/cancelled contracts, and was also required to comply with the Bureau’s directive or else face the full weight of the law establishing the institution.
BPP also recommended the investigation and prosecution of the acting director general for “blatant refusal to comply with the relevant provisions of the procurement law and regulations”.
In line with established protocols, a memo from the Federal Ministry of Science of Technology dated March 22, 2021 with Ref No. FMST/PD/541/2020/1/196 and signed by the Director (Procurement), Mr. O.L. Oyadoye consequently enjoined the acting director general of PRODA to comply with the Bureau’s decisions and directives in line with the provisions of section 20 of the public procurement act, 2007 which bestows the Accounting Officer/Director General of an agency the overall responsibility of ensuring compliance with the PPA, 2007.
It was gathered that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on September 10, 2021 arrested the acting director general of PRODA, Dr. Okonkwo for questioning on the allegations of financial irregularities, abuse of office, unethical extortions, etc. He was later released for further investigations.
Efforts to speak with the acting director general of PRODA, Dr. Fabian Okonkwo, on the allegations, failed as he told our reporter that he was tired and could not talk further. All other effort made to engage him on the phone was not possible as it rang severally without him picking the calls.
News
Former Minister Uche Nnaji Reportedly Arrested at Enugu Airport Over Alleged Certificate Forgery
Former Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, was reportedly arrested on Wednesday at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, while preparing to board a chartered flight to Abuja.
According to Premium Times, sources at the airport said Nnaji was taken into custody and is expected to be handed over to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for questioning over allegations of certificate forgery.
The reported arrest comes weeks after the Federal High Court reportedly granted the ICPC permission to arrest and investigate Nnaji over the allegations. The court also authorised the anti-graft agency to declare him wanted through newspapers, social media platforms and other media outlets after the commission alleged that he repeatedly failed to honour invitations for questioning.
According to the ICPC, its application to the court followed Nnaji’s alleged refusal to appear before investigators despite several invitations related to the forgery allegations.
The case stems from a two-year investigation published by Premium Times in October last year, which alleged that Nnaji submitted forged University of Nigeria and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates during his ministerial screening and confirmation process in 2023.
The publication alleged that the documents were presented to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Nigerian Senate, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to the report, Nnaji later acknowledged that the University of Nigeria did not issue him the degree certificate in question, a development the newspaper said corroborated its investigation.
The former minister had previously denied the existence of the court order authorising his arrest, describing the publication as a “media trial.”
However, on June 18, he reportedly filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal seeking to set aside the arrest order.
As of the time of filing this report, the ICPC had not issued an official statement confirming the reported arrest, while Nnaji’s legal team had yet to publicly respond to the latest development.
Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company (IVM) has dismissed as false and misleading reports claiming that its Founder and Chairman, Chief Dr. Innocent Chukwuma, CON, is dead, insisting that the renowned industrialist is alive and actively leading the company.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the company’s management described the report as baseless and urged the public to disregard it and rely only on information released through IVM’s official communication channels.
“We wish to unequivocally state that this claim is false, misleading and entirely without factual basis. Chief Dr. Innocent Chukwuma, CON, is alive, well and continues to provide leadership as the Chairman of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company Ltd.,” the statement said.
The company explained that the false report appeared to have mistaken its chairman for another individual with the same name, noting that the distinction had previously been clarified by independent fact-checking organisations.
“The publication appears to have confused our Chairman with another individual who bore the same name but was an entirely different person,” it stated.
IVM urged customers, business partners, dealers, financial institutions, government agencies and the general public to ignore the publication.
The company also disclosed that it had commenced legal action against the publisher, demanding an immediate retraction, a public apology and an end to the circulation of the false report.
“Our legal representatives have formally written to the publisher demanding an immediate retraction, a public apology and the cessation of the dissemination of the false information. We remain committed to pursuing all lawful measures necessary to protect the reputation of our Chairman and safeguard the integrity of our Company,” it added.
Reaffirming its commitment to Nigeria’s industrial development, IVM said it remains focused on producing world-class vehicles and delivering quality products and services despite the misinformation.
The company also thanked Nigerians, customers and business partners for their continued support and confidence, describing their trust as the foundation of its growth and success.
Governors elected under The All Progressives Congress (APC) have reviewed outcome of the party’s primaries and resolved to meet with Prof Netanwe Yilwatda, Chairman of the party, and other leaders.
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo and Chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum (PGF), said the resolution was reached at the forum’s meeting which ended at the early hours of Tuesday in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the PGF is an umbrella body of all serving APC governors.
Uzodimma while addressing newsmen at the end of the meeting said that the governors also resolved to work to ensure that Nigerians were better off.
He said that the meeting reviewed the outcome of the party’s primaries across the federation, the recent Ekiti governorship election and various by elections in which the APC came out in ”flying colours”.
“We have resolved to work towards solving the problems and challenges facing our democratic space and ensuring that our people are better off.
“We also resolved to meet with the leadership of the party to plan the coming 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections. We are ready and good to go,” he said.
The PGF chairman added that the forum further resolved to continue to work with the APC leadership to support and strengthen it and prepare it for future elections.
The meeting was attended by governors of Ekiti, Zamfara, Taraba, Lagos, Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna, Gombe, Kebbi, Akwa Ibom and Borno States among others.(NAN)
One of the sureties must be a traditional ruler from his community, while the second must own landed property within the Federal Capital Territory.
The judge also ordered the defendant to deposit his international passport with the court registrar pending the determination of the case.
After granting the application, Justice Umar handed Sowore over to his lawyers and adjourned further proceedings until Monday, July 6, when the defendant is expected to open his defence.
Sowore is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services on allegations bordering on cybercrime, following social media posts in which he allegedly referred to President Bola Tinubu as “a criminal.”
He has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.
The court revoked Sowore’s bail on June 16 and issued a bench warrant for his arrest after he failed to attend proceedings.
Following the revocation of his bail, Sowore challenged the bench warrant and sought the trial judge’s recusal.
The application was dismissed, after which he was remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing of his fresh bail application.
Delivering Tuesday’s ruling, Justice Umar restored the defendant’s bail on fresh terms, requiring him to meet the N200 million bail bond and fulfil the conditions attached before regaining his freedom.
Reacting shortly after the ruling, Sowore described the bail conditions as part of the authorities’ continued efforts against him but insisted they would not deter his movement.
He said, “There is no bus on earth that can stop this revolution. We warned them, but they would not listen. But now, it appears a little bit of common sense is returning to them, and as a result, I was granted bail, requiring a traditional ruler, somebody with property in Abuja, and N200m and my international passport.
“They have always been after the passport. So nobody can come after our movement. Nobody can stop the movement. Nobody can stop the idea whose time has come.
“What I want to tell Nigerians is that it is not about my freedom; it is about the liberation of the Nigerian people.”
The United States has described a recent counterterrorism operation in Nigeria as one of its most significant successes in the fight against jihadist groups, recovering what it calls the largest cache of enemy electronic equipment since the September 11, 2001 attacks.Politics
Sebastian Gorka, Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism at the U.S. National Security Council, made the disclosure in an interview with PragerU CEO Marissa Streit.
Gorka stated that U.S. operatives, in coordination with Nigerian forces, conducted a raid approximately three weeks ago that neutralised 199 jihadists in a single operation.
“That is the biggest neutralisation of enemy killed in action since September 11. Two hundred and ninety-nine jihadists who will not harm Americans again,” Gorka said.
He added that the operation yielded an intelligence haul so substantial that an additional aircraft was required to transport the recovered electronic materials.
“We needed an extra plane to bring home all the electronic material that we captured in those camps. The haul was three times bigger than any enemy electronics haul since 9/11,” he said.
According to Gorka, the recovered materials are being analysed for intelligence on Islamic State (ISIS) and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) communication networks, financing, operational planning and international links.
Speaking on how the operation was authorised, Gorka said President Donald Trump approved the mission after being briefed on the threat posed by the targeted militants.
“We told the President, this man has killed Americans and is planning to kill Americans. He ticked the ‘go box’ on the operational orders we had in front of him.”
Gorka also said Africa has increasingly become a focus for ISIS because of vast ungoverned territories where extremist groups can regroup after defeats elsewhere.
He further disclosed that the administration’s current counterterrorism campaign has resulted in the neutralisation of more than 1,000 jihadists globally.
Details of the specific location and exact date of the raid were not publicly specified, although reports have linked it to operations in Borno State targeting ISWAP elements, including the reported elimination of a high-value target.
The announcement underscores ongoing U.S.-Nigeria security cooperation against terrorism in the Lake Chad Basin and the wider Sahel. Nigerian and U.S. forces have collaborated on intelligence sharing, training and equipment support in efforts to combat Boko Haram and ISWAP.Demographics
No independent verification of the casualty figures or the scale of the intelligence recovered had been released by Nigerian authorities as of the time of reporting.
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