Tag:

Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB)

LUTH, Dr, Francisca Egube Disguises As Contractor, Corners 13 Contracts from Lagos Government Worth Over N600 Million

by Leading Reporters August 2, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

By the Nigerian Civil Service regulation, section 6 (b) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act states that except where a civil servant is not employed on a full-time basis, he shall not engage or participate in the management or running of any private business, profession or trade; but nothing in this paragraph shall prevent a public officer from engaging in farming or participating in the management or running of any farm. But in sharp violation of this act, it has been discovered that a civil servant, Dr. Francisca Egube, of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital secured a total of 13 contracts from various government departments.

The contracts, worth N623,715,561.23, were awarded to Quevedo International Limited, a private organization owned and run by Egube, a doctor at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital. According to public procurement records obtained by Our reporters, Egube managed to secure these contracts by allegedly bypassing established procedures and manipulating the system. The contracts cover various projects, including medical equipment, renovation of schools, construction projects, and transportation-related services.

The first contract listed in the documents is titled “Provision of Lane Markings across the State LOT5” and was awarded by the Ministry of Transport. With a cost of ₦160,058,701.36, the project was assigned to Quevedo International Limited, the same company that secured the subsequent contracts investigated. The Ministry of Health also awarded multiple contracts to Quevedo International Limited for supplying and installing medical equipment in various hospitals across Lagos State.

These contracts include procuring hemodialysis equipment, oxygen concentrators, endoscopy machines, monophasic defibrillators, phototherapy machines, and radiology equipment, with a combined value of over ₦46 million. Furthermore, the State Universal Education Board entrusted Quevedo International Limited, once again facilitated by Egube, with a contract for the construction of a fence, gate, and gatehouse at Community Primary School in Ikotun, Alimosho LGEA, amounting to ₦15,826,121.15. Another contract involved the emergency renovation of Ewuntuntun Junior Grammar School in Mafoluku, Oshodi, costing ₦31,613,510.30

Additionally, two contracts for the renovation of Apapa Senior High School and Araromi Junior Secondary School Apapa were awarded by the Special Committee on Rehabilitation of Public Schools, with a total worth of ₦99,896,137.86. The Office of Drainage Services & Water Resources assigned Quevedo International Limited to construct outfall channels along Ijede Road, amounting to ₦209,121,090.56.

While it is not uncommon for private organizations to win government contracts, the involvement of a civil servant in securing multiple contracts for the same company raises serious questions about the integrity of the procurement process. Civil service regulations are designed to ensure transparency, fairness, and competition in government contracts, and prevent conflicts of interest.

August 2, 2023 0 comments

Corrupt CBN Deputy Governor Adamu Lametek schemes to replace Emiefele: Holds secret meetings with power brokers

by Leading Reporters January 18, 2023

written by Leading Reporters

That the times are rough for the Central Bank Governor Godwin Emiefele is not in doubt. Aside from being on the radars of Nigeria’s secret police on allegations of terrorism financing, his closest associates are already selling out in a bid to drown him and take over the mantle of leadership in the apex bank. At the fore of this betrayal journey, according to information unveiled LeadingReporters is Mr. Edward Lametek Adamu.

Information unearthed by LeadingReporters revealed that Mr. Lametek had previously retired from the Central Bank of Nigeria. However, the Central Bank Governor Godwin Emiefele, in a bid to retain him rushed to President Muhammadu Buhari upon Lametek’s retirement and urged the President to extend a political appointment to Mr. Adamu as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. A request, President Muhammadu Buhari granted him.

Our findings however revealed that the retention of Mr. Adamu is in violation of the Nigeria Civil Service circular dated 27th July, 2009, Ref No. HCSF/EMS/EIR/B.63694/T2/96 with the subject “INTERPRETATION OF PUBLIC SERVICE RULES ON COMPULSORY RETIREMENT AGE/YEARS OF SERVICE IN RELATION TO TENURED APPOINTMENT OF the SERVICE OFFICERS.

The circular stated that career officers who have not retired or choose not to retire from service, before the commencement of their tenured appointment must leave office on the attainment of the mandatory AGE/YEAR of service for retirement.

Investigation launched by concerned Nigerians revealed that Lametek upon retirement was paid all his entitlements and retirements benefits, despite staying put in office. He attained the age of 60 on the 22^nd of June, 2019 and did not exit office before being appointed a Deputy Governor of CBN.

Between 15^th of March, 2018 and 6^th of November, 2018, Mr Lametek received N645,546,983 as part of his severance package, through his GTBank Account No 0023956749. Till date, Mr. Adamu has been in the employ of CBN collecting all entitlement and waiting for another severance package and entitlement at the expiration of his tenure as deputy governor.

Other allegations of corruption are that Adamu Lametek sits on the board of other private companies, which is contrary to the Code of Conduct Act (CCB&T Act, 5^th Schedule, Part 1, Paragraph 1-11 to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which specifically bars civil and public servants from engaging in professions, trade and other enterprises that puts his activities against his official duties. One of the companies is ELAD CONSULTS LTD. The company, according to an investigation has been used for activities that contravene the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

January 18, 2023 0 comments

Headlines

Prof. Mohammed Isah CCB Chairman is corrupt — Commissioners

by Leading Reporters October 3, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

The Commissioners in the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) have asked the Senate to commence investigations into the corruption allegations they levelled against their Chairman, Prof. Mohammed Isah.

The CCB is the Ombudsman set up to fight corruption within the public service system through scrutiny of assets declaration forms of civil and public service officers.

But the commissioners in the federal agency, besieged the Senate last Friday and raised the alarm that the anti-graft body was enmeshed in what it was established to fight.

The six federal commissioners in the anti – graft agency documented a petition full of corrupt allegations against their boss and submitted it to the Senate committee on Ethics , Privileges and Public Petitions .

Led by Dr. Emmanuel Attah, the commissioners alleged corrupt practices being perpetrated by the CCB Chairman.

They specifically cited his alleged blocking of the probe of the former accountant general of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, who was accused of allegedly having assets worth over N109 billion.

They said their colleagues in the petition they jointly signed had accused the embattled CCB Chairman of allegedly blocking necessary investigation into the assets declaration forms of some corrupt officials in the last four years.

They further alleged that some of the affected officials have multi-billion naira assets not stated in the forms they submitted to the CCB.

The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions led by Senator Ayo Akinyelure, has therefore, asked the CCB Chairman to appear before the panel on Thursday, 6th October , 2022 by 2:00pm prompt.

Isah was absent at the panel sitting but five out of the six commissioners were present.

The absence of the CCB Chairman made Akinyelure to, with consent of other panel members, directed the CCB Chairman to appear before the committee unfailingly on Thursday.

He said, “The petition before this committee on allegations against the Chairman of Code of Conduct Bureau ( CCB) bordering on corrupt practices is worrisome and must be here to defend himself .

“The seriousness of the matter lies on the fact that the petitioners are even the six federal commissioners appointed to be working with him in the fight against corruption.

“The Commissioners are here but the Chairman who is in the eye of the storm is not here. We have gone through all the issues raised in the jointly signed petition by the Commissioners and they are very disturbing if eventually proven.

“Therefore for fair hearing, we are re-inviting the Chairman to appear before this committee on Thursday, 6th October, 2022 unfailingly by 2:00pm prompt for require response or responses from him on all allegations leveled against him in the petition,” he said.

While speaking with journalists after their engagement with the Senate panel, one of the commissioners, Hon Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, said they petitioned the Chairman to save CCB from self – inflicted incapacitation slammed on it by the Chairman.

According to him, all the commissioners and the Chairman, were appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to help in the war against corruption within the public service itself at all levels.

“The Chairman based on his conducts is not ready to fight the war in anyway but sabotage it by sitting on series of petitions written against corrupt public officers whose assets far outweighs what were declared in the Assets Declaration Forms.

“The N109 billion loot allegedly linked to the now being investigated Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, was first reported to CCB through petitions but prevented from being acted upon by the Chairman.

“We are ever ready to support Mr. President’s war against corruption but very disturbed by the frustration being thrown into it in CCB by no less a person, than the Chairman.

“We have written petition against him as declared by the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions here today and want him to meet us face to face before members of the committee for whatever defence he wants to make .

“Corruption must be killed in Nigeria before it kills us and anybody not ready to join in the fight or war against it, should be shown the way out of public service , particularly those saddled with responsibilities of curbing corrupt practices in the country like CCB”, he said .

Other Commissioners with him were Prof. Folorunsho Ogundare, Ubolo Okpanachi and Ben Nnana. (THISDAY: Text, excludes headline)

October 3, 2022 0 comments