Anti-corruption Groups Seek Probe of Alleged Fraud in Niger Delta Ministry

A coalition of Anti Corruption Civil Society Organisations, yesterday, raised the alarm over the alleged diversion of  N20 billion at the Ministry of Niger Delta Development.
At a media briefing in Abuja, the group said the briefing was occasioned by the failure of office of the Permanent Secretary of the ministry to respond to its request to explain the diversion under the Freedom of Information Act and the Whistle Blowing policy of the federal government.

Members of the coalition include Center For Democracy and Human Rights (CEDEHUR), Association of Media Practitioners in Oil and Gas producing Areas (AMEPROGAS), Arewa Youth Alliance for Progress and Development, and Network Against Corruption and Trafficking Initiative (NACAT).

Speaking at the briefing, the Convener, Iteveh Nurudeen, called for the probe of the ministry over alleged non-execution and diversion of N30.2 million for medical outreach for staff of the MNDA and the  non-execution and diversion of N21.2 million for skills development seminar in Akoko Edo Local Area of Edo State.
Others include the non-execution and diversion of N19.3 million for skills development in Ilaje Local Area of Ondo State, diversion of N342 million for extra budgetary allocation proposed for rice palliatives and misappropriation and diversion of N15 billion flood palliative funds.

“Today’s interaction with you, our media partners, is to draw the attention of Nigerians to the ongoing financial infractions under the watch of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry Of Niger Delta Development, Dr. Belgore Shuaib and by extension the Minister of Niger Delta Development, Engr. Abubakar Momoh and others regarding their involvements in suspected corrupt practices, fraudulent disbursement of funds, money laundering, irregular procurements, gross abuse of office, blatant disregard for federal government treasury circulars, breach of financial regulations, raising of Fictitious Memos And Sundry Infractions, amounting to About N20 billion from the Ministry Of Niger Delta Development (MNDD).
“The establishment of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs which metamorphosed to Niger Delta Development by the Federal Government of Nigeria years ago, was to channel critical attention towards the development of the Niger Delta region, being the goose that lays the golden egg in Nigeria,” he said.

He noted that the establishment of the ministry was applauded by all stakeholders in the Niger Delta region because it was collectively perceived to be a panacea to the development question of the region aimed at cushioning the effect of restiveness orchestrated by the feeling and consciousness of marginalisation.

“Today, not only as a coalition, but as critical stakeholders in the development question of the Niger Delta region, we are forced to say that the essence of the Niger Delta ministry is becoming defeated since it is fast acquiring notoriety as a breeding ground for all corruption related nefarious activities orchestrated its bureaucracy.

“Why do we say this?

Recently, this coalition of civil societies, stumbled on an avalanche of documents and memos showing details of projects allegedly executed only on paper but paid for with monies meant for the development of the Niger Delta region.

“These transactions amount to about N20 billion.

For the purpose of clarity, after our team of lawyers, private investigators, policy analysts and media practitioners painstakingly, analysed these documents, irrespective of all the glaring infractions backed by documents, as a coalition guided by the age-long principle of Natural Justice termed “audi alteram partem” which means “let the other party be heard as well’’, we wrote a request pursuant to Section 1 (1) of the Freedom of Information Act, 2011 and the Whistle Blowing Policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria, 2016, that you, Mr. Belgore Shuaib (permanent secretary) furnish us vis-à-vis the Nigerian public, with clarifications as to the anomalies enumerated. Up till this press time, this coalition has received zero response from the ministry over these weighty allegations,” he said.

Giving further details on the alleged diversion of N30.2 million in the ministry, Nurudeen, said the office of the permanent secretary broke all financial rules of probity.

“Breaking almost every financial regulation bordering on probity, known to civil service and Nigeria, the office approved N15.1 million and withdrew over N30.2 million under a fictitious memo titled: “Proposal to organise a free medical outreach programme for staff of Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

“As contained in this memo with file number: MNDA/ CDE/827/S.1/1, signed by Matthew J. Pukuma (Director CDE), the sum of fifteen million, one hundred and five thousand naira only N15.1 million.

“The project was slated and allegedly executed between 9th to 13th October, 2023, the payment voucher (Head:0451, Subhead: ERGP8194110) shows that funds were released to Ayo Mercy Omoikhefe on 12th of September, 2023 with Deptal No: MNDA/ABJ/CAP/ADV/029/23, while Oshudun C.O (Mrs) signed as Officer controlling Expenditure,” he said.

“Surprisingly, for the same memo, another sum N15,105,000.00 was released to Ayo Mercy Omoikhefe, on the 28th of December, 2023 with Deptal No: MNDA/ABJ/CAP/ADV/038/23 while Inyang N.E (Mr.) signed as Officer controlling Expenditure.

“We observe that the project was not executed. We observe that the DFA on 3/8/23 minute on the originating memo that the project was being routed through a department which it was not supposed to.

According to him, “the ERGP indicated is not for Community Development and Education Department (CDE), rather should be a project under Economic and Empowerment Department (EED).”

Adding that, “kindly revert file to D(CDE), perhaps, he was not properly guided.”

“We observe that the memo vis-à-vis phantom project was a means to launder the sum of N30.2  only, clearly against the initial demand for N15.1 million. We bet greed got a better part of the management,” he said.

The coalition further observed that a bulk of the receipts used to retire the phantom project were forged.

“Our team of private investigators have tracked the addresses on the receipts and they proved to be non-existent. We also observe that the honorarium logistics given to the medical personnel was pegged at 25,000 naira each which is rather very abnormal, especially since we noticed that consultants, doctors and nurses received the same amounts.

“We also observed that the signatures from the medical personnel were different for each day they signed for their honorarium which makes us to question even further, if the personnel listed were actually existing human beings,” he said.

The coalition, therefore, stated that “in the event of failure to heed our lawful request, we shall be forwarding these information as a petition to the National Assembly (Senate and House of Representatives), Head of Service of the Federation, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

“Subsequently, we shall be leading peaceful protest to relevant offices after duly notifying all requisite security agencies.

“We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consolidate on his renewed thrust for fiscal probity and governance accountability by compelling the all relevant anti-graft agencies to beam its searchlight on the horrendous financial activities of the ministry,” the coalition said.