Some of the funds meant for capital projects at the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) were paid into private accounts of the civil servants including the Director of Medical Biotechnology Department, Dr. Bartholomew Ibeh in a clear violation of the Public Procurement Act, documents have shown.
The management of the NABDA, which is under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, has been several times accused of abuse of office with flagrant violation and disregard for the extant rules on Procurement Act.
The administrative recklessness and reign of impunity was said to have led to apprehension and low morale among the staff of the agency as they called for the removal of the Director General, Abdullahi Mustapha.
The suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management, Betta Edu, asked the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein, to send public funds to a private account which belonged to one Oniyelu Bridget Mojisola, identified as a project manager by the minister.
The minister had approved that N585,198,500 should be disbursed into the personal account.
President Bola Tinubu had suspended Edu and ordered an investigation into the alleged fraudulent activities of the minister.
A company linked to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo was also paid a total amount of N438.1million by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation under Betta Edu for consultancy services, which has led to calls for probe of the interior minister.
Meanwhile, at the National Biotechnology Development Agency, SaharaReporters gathered that the sum of N9,750,000.00 meant for the capital projects of the agency was paid into the First City Monumental Bank (FCMB) Account Number: 2034171014 belonging to Bartholomew Ibeh on November 28, 2018
Findings revealed that the money was meant for Research and Development activities associated with Recombinant Vaccine References Laboratory on Local Vaccine Screening.
Also, Ibeh through a proxy allegedly used the private account of a staff (Mrs. Ifedilichukwu H.E Nma) of the department to receive the sum of N7,925,098.00 for another capital project, Research and Development on Activities Associated with DNA Typing.
Though the payment was made during the tenure of the previous Director General but Prof. Abdullahi was allegedly aware of infraction but has continued to shield Ibeh from disciplinary actions for several years.
Ibeh was said to be invited for interrogation by the Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) at the Abuja office and his case is currently pending before the commission.
He was also said to have used his position to suppress and frustrate a petition dated November 22, 2022 written by the Senior Staff Association NABDA branch addressed to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as he compromised the investigating officers handling the case.
A source who spoke to SaharaReporters said Ibeh ought to have been directed to step down as Director of Medical Biotechnology Department to pave way for a thorough investigation and prevent undue interference with the process of investigation but Abdullahi and other relevant authorities have refused to take administrative disciplinary action against him.
Another petition obtained by SaharaReporters read “Lack of functional Organogram in the agency. We have also received complaints from senior staff about the aberration happening in some BIODECS where some staff oversee some departments, where superior officers are available. One of such cases is at BIODEC Makurdi, Benue State.
“The reign of impunity. The Directors run the technical departments in the agency like emperors. They personalize government facilities and maltreat staff. There is so much secrecy in the preparation of department budgets and execution of projects. Many staff that dared to ask their HOD questions and demand for their rights are usually victimized and intimidated.”
It was also learnt that some union leaders who dared to ask questions on the alleged infractions by the management were victimised and subsequently had their appointments terminated in the process.
Ibeh who also confirmed the payment when SaharaReporters reached out to him for reaction on the matter said he had not done anything wrong and that the payment of the capital projects into his account was not out of place.
He also told SaharaReporters that he had documents to justify the action.
Ibeh also denied that the affected union leaders were sacked over victimisation. He said they were relieved for other offences.
In a copy of another petition dated July 19, 2023 signed by the Chairman of the association addressed to President Tinubu and obtained by SaharaReporters, the petition called on the President to investigate and probe the financial impropriety and gross abuse of office by Abdullahi and Ibeh.
He was also accused of mismanaging the funds of the agency at various centres.
The petition read in part “SSAUTHRIAI NABDA Branch wishes to humbly notify you that all is not well in our agency. It is imperative to state that our trade union has the jurisdiction to unionise and represent all Senior Staff on Grade Level 7 (CONRAISS 6) and above on matters relating to welfare and conditions of service in different Establishments including Research Institutes in Nigeria.
“Despite the huge budgetary allocations by the Federal Government to NABDA over the years, the agency is still lagging behind in the fulfilment of its mandate. The morale of workers in NABDA is very low and they are fed up with Prof Abdullahi’s administrative recklessness.
“Please find below actions of Prof Abdullahi Mustapha that constitute an abuse of the office that he occupies; Contravention of the circular by the Office of the Secretary to the Goverment of the Federation with reference number, 59780/S.I/T.I/117 dated 14th June, 2017 and titled Prohibition of officers on other cadres from procurement functions where career procurement officers are available. After the retirement of the previous head of the agency’s procurement unit, Prof Abdullahi posted an unqualified (non-procurement) staff, Mr. Yakasai to head the procurement unit for his own selfish reasons in flagrant disregard for extant rules, where career procurement officers are available in the agency. Mr. Yakasai is an Administrative Officer.
“This action by Prof Abdullahi is a clear violation of the above- mentioned circular and should be investigated.”
Meanwhile Mr. Ibeh has refused to send any document one week after as he promised SaharaReporters. He has not replied to reminder messages sent to him and he also did not take several calls placed to his line by SaharaReporters.
