A Nigerian-diasporan pro-good governance group, League of Patriots has called on the Central Bank Governor, Mr Olayemi Cardoso to rein in and address an employment saga involving one Mr Adesoji Ogungbesan that is now tearing MINT apart, the Ag. Executive Director Corporate Services of Nigeria, Security, Printing and Minting. The group in its monthly evaluation delegate meeting held on the 11th of November said that it is unsettling and defied all known morality that someone who was interviewed and recommended for the position of a Senior Manager is currently occupying a post of an Executive Director without any known verifiable profile and public service experience.
In its communique exclusively obtained by LeadingReporters, the group, consisting of Nigerian professionals at home and in Diaspora said that the Central Bank of Nigeria currently led by Cardoso should be seen to be living above board on issues bordering on the vice of favouritism and nepotism. The group said that the Governor’s no-nonsense position since he assumed office is commendable and should apply to all and sundry.
“We had our monthly online meeting today, which consisted of delegates from America, Europe, and Asia. Among other issues we deliberated on concerning affairs in our home country Nigeria was the issue involving a schemed employment saga involving one of the staff of the MINT. We have verifiable information that Mr Adesoji Ogungbesan was among those interviewed and recommended for the position of Assistant General Manager. But to our surprise, instead of placing him in the position which he applied, interviewed and recommended for, he was, against all employment and federal character norms, given a sensitive position of an Executive Director on platters.
According to information unveiled by LeadingReporters, Mr. Ogungbesan who is currently MINT’s Executive Director Corporate Services, prior to his backdoor emergence as an Executive Director, had no previous experience in the public sector. He was an internal auditor in Sahara Oil.
LeadingReporters also uncovered that Mr, Ogungbesan allegedly falsified information relating to his salary structure in Sahara Oil Group, obviously to mislead MINT management to pay him more. Mr. Ogunegbesan claimed to be on the salary scale of N71,000,000 per annum as an auditor in Sahara Oil Group, a claim LeadingReporters found out to be false. He is a fellow of Association of Nigerian Accountant.
Further investigation revealed that he was recommended for the position of Assistant General Manager from the Central Bank of Nigeria, but upon interview, he was found to be unfit and inexperienced for the position. The interview panel recommended for him for the position of a Senior Manager in MINT. In the Internal Memo of the five-man panel, led by Mr Ado Danjuma dated 22nd December 2023, and exclusively obtained by LeadingReporters,, the panel unanimously voted and recommended him for the position of a Senior Manager, and not Executive Director. The report read in part “Mr Adesoji Ogungbesan scored 250 out of the 500 marks used for the assessment. In line with company’s policy and EXCO’s Extract dated 19th of September, 2019 on the placement of new staff, Mr. Adesoji Ogungbesan can only be employed as a Senior Manager on salary level S6 based on his qualifications… Another limitation is that he currently claims to earn about N71m with Sahara Group, as his annual gross salary. A senior Manager in the NSPM earns about N11m per annum as gross salary, while an Assistant Manager earns about N21.8m per annum”
It then becomes puzzling how Ogungbasan who was only qualified for a position of a Senior Manager and who claimed he earned N71m gross per annum would prefer a job that is half that salary in NSPM if not for ulterior motives.
Meanwhile further investigation revealed that the effect of this abnormality is currently rubbing off on MINT as Mr Ogungbesan ineptitude and overbearing attitude is currently disrupting operations and demoralizing staff in the government’s own printing and minting company.
According to a source who is in the know of the intrigues playing out, Mr Ogungbesan is on a mission for self-aggrandizement. The source said that Mr. Ogungbesan was recommended to the authorities of the Central Bank of Nigeria by a top politician. It was alleged that Mr Ogungbesan is eyeing for an elective position come 2027 and MINT is the cash-cow to be milked for that purpose.
“He has political ambition for 2027. His emergence as an Executive Director was prearranged to give him the edge to gather the resources, he needs to fund his political ambition.
“That was why, against the recommendation of the panel of interviewers that interviewed and recommended him for the position of Assistant General Manager, he was given the position of an Executive Director despite lacking necessary prerequisite public service experience.
