Victor Ahiuma-Young
28 April 2009
INDEPENDENT Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), is investigating alleged abuse of office and cases of diversion of public funds into private pockets by management of Radiographers Registration Board (RRB), a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Health.
Vanguard investigation revealed that officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commissions (EFCC) had concluded investigations into the same issue and action is about to be taken on their findings.
Already, the ICPC has written the Minister of Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin about the investigation and requested for assistance.
The letter to the Minister of Health, signed by Mr. A. M. Monguno, Special Assistant to ICPC Chairman, entitled "Investigation Activities", reads in part: "The Commission is investigating an alleged case of violation of the provisions of the Corrupt Practices and other related offences Act 2000, amongst some staff of the Radiographers' Registration Board, with reference to a letter to the Honourable Minister from the Registrar of the Board, Ref. No. RRBN/0022, dated 17th January, 2005 titled Utilisation of arrears of shortfall (22 per cent) May- December, 2004.
You are therefore requested to confirm to the Commssion if the Ministry gave approval to the Board to utilise the said arrears on the office extension project. Your prompt response in this regard will be appreciated. Accept the assurance of the commission's highest regard.
The Ministry of Health also wrote the Registrar/Chief Executive Radiographers Registration Board. A letter signed by R. B Lammy, Assistant Director (Accounts) requested a copy of the ICPC letter and demanded confirmation if indeed the Board obtained approval for utilisation of the said arrears in the office extension project."
Vanguard investigations revealed the EFCC and ICPC probes into the financial dealing of RRB, is sequel to a petition earlier petition sent to the two anti-graft agencies by the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Related Institutions (NASU) branch of RRB.
In the said petition, the Union alleged fraudulent activities by the Registrar/CEO with respect to the outstanding arrears accruing from the 22 per cent increase of the Harmonized Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (HATTISS IV) and professional allowances.
There were allegations of unilateral increase of salary grade levels and steps of some members of staff of the Board whose accounts were later credited by the Ministry of Health for the months of May - December 2006. It was gathered that the Registrar/CEO later instructed those whose accounts were credited to deposit same with the Acting Internal Auditor. Vanguard learned that everyone complied with this directive except for one Olayiwola Sunday, a driver with the Board, who was allegedly forced to resign as a result.
Passing a vote of no confidence on the Registrar/CEO, the Union pointed out that when confronted, he put up a defence that the said money was used to finance the office building of the Board.
In the petition, the Union appealed to the ICPC to investigate series of embezzlement and misappropriation of funds as well as award of bogus contracts believed to have been issued within the last three years to contractors said to have been paid to the tune Nl5 million for jobs either not done or completed.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Vanguard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
