The Raw Materials Research and Development Council led by Ibrahim Hussaini Doko is currently enmeshed in financial fraud running into billions of naira.
RMRDC is a Nigerian government agency for research institutions that is responsible for industrial raw materials growth, promotion and utilization supervised by Federal Ministry of Sciences and Technology.
According to multiple sources, Ibrahim has been running the agency like his family business.
He was accused of defrauding the council with illegal award of contracts to family members and close allies in violation of a directive by President Muhammadu Buhari on probity and accountable handling of funds.
The sources added that Ibrahim has also launched a strong lobbying for his tenure extension.
Ibrahim, who became the acting director-general and chief executive officer of RMRDC in 2013 is frantically pulling strings in the Presidency to secure an extension of his appointment beyond the legal limit, one of the sources told SaharaReporters.
He was appointed in acting capacity by former President Goodluck Jonathan on 7th of November, 2013 and became substantive Director General on 8th of April, 2014.
“President Jonathan approved his appointment as substantive DG on 08/04/2014. His initial letter was for a term of 4 years which was later changed to 5 year term because he asked to serve for only a single term,” one of the sources said.
“That too was an error as even his appointment ought to have taken effect from when he began acting. He now went on to demand for a 2nd term, and the term was corrected to reflect 4 years now as this was as indicated in our now repealed act.
“It may be worthwhile to note that before then, Dr. H. D. Ibrahim had served as Director from 17/09/2002 up until November 2013, that is over 11 years, against the then 8 years for Directors. This was so because after he was asked to go, he refused and somehow got away with it. Meanwhile others before him all left.
“Now, having served 2 terms of 5 and 4 years respectively, which terminated on 8th April 2023 without including the period of his ccting appointment, Prof Ibrahim is seeking to extend his tenure beyond April 2023.”
The sources added that Ibrahim’s mafia-styled administration had drained the finances board without any significant project to match the billions of naira allocated to it annually, and set it on an imminent path of failure.
“Beyond his extending his 2 term tenure, Prof Ibrahim has run RMRDC as if it were his private business.
“No Tender Board meetings in the council as he has distanced his Directors from himself and chooses to work with whoever he wants particularly more junior staff. Prof Ibrahim travels, even oversea, without delegating any Director to oversee the organisation.
“Prof Ibrahim is pursuing a multibillion Centre in Nigeria Air Space Development Agency complex, along the airport road named after himself, Prof. H.D. Ibrahim Centre without recourse to his management team (Committee of Directors). He even disapproved of his Directors asking about the project when news started filtering in about the place.”
Speaking to SaharaReporters, Director, Corporate Services Department (CSD) of RMRDC, Chuks Ngaha denied the allegations.
Ngaha added that Ibrahim would be leaving office in April, 2024, at the expiration of his tenure as provided for in Section 9 (2d) of RMRDC Enabling Act 28 of 2022.
According to him, the Director General and his management team has been running the agency in line with relevant extant Nigerian government rules and policies with measurable achievements.
“The DG/CEO, in partnership with his management team, runs the Council in line with relevant extant Federal Government rules and policies with measurable achievements,” Ngaha said in a mail sent to SaharaReporters.
“The DG will be leaving office in April, 2024, at the expiration of his tenure as provided for in Section 9 (2d) of RMRDC Enabling Act 28 of 2022 which states as follows: “ hold office for a term of five years in the first instance and may be re-appointed for another term of five years and no more”;
“The DG has always carried his Directors along in the conceptualization and execution of the Council’s programmes, projects and activities; and RMRDC Technology and Innovation Centre was established to serve as a centre for process equipment and machinery adoption, adaptation and transfer for agricultural and mineral raw materials processing. It is aimed at encouraging the private sector to utilize the proven indigenous technologies for raw materials processing.
“It is a Centre for academic research as it relates to raw materials development and utilization in Nigeria. The success recorded in the technology development projects at the Centre has translated to improved industrial raw materials processing across the sectors of manufacturing. Over 35 of these projects have been patented and upgraded to pilot plants in the process of commercialization. This is attracting the interest of industrialists and MSMEs for investment, adoption and replication with the attendant job and wealth creation, local content development in manufacturing promotion and increased GDP.
“We invite you to visit the Centre and other projects of the Council which have facilitated Nigeria’s economic diversification drive for socio-economic growth and development as well as industrialization.”