Babatunji wusu –
Dr. Bartholomew Ibeh, the director of the Medical Biotechnology Department at the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), is accused of breaking the Public Procurement Act.
The agency’s director was among the civil officers who received money intended for capital projects into their personal accounts.
The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, which oversees NABDA, has been accused of abusing its position by blatantly violating and disobeying the Procurement Act’s current regulations.
On November 28, 2018, N9,750,000.00 intended for the agency’s capital projects was deposited into Bartholomew Ibeh’s First City Monumental Bank (FCMB) account, number 2034171014, according to records obtained by SaharaReporters.
The funds were found to be used for local vaccine screening research and development projects related to the Recombinant Vaccine References Laboratory.
Furthermore, it has been stated that Ibeh utilized a proxy to access the department’s employee Mrs. Ifedilichukwu H.E. Nma’s private account in order to obtain N7,925,098.00 for a different capital project called Research and Development on Activities Associated with DNA Typing.
The news outlet claimed that the payment was made while Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, the former director general, was in office. Mustapha is reported to have known about the violation but had protected Ibeh from punishment for a number of years.
The funds were found to be used for local vaccine screening research and development projects related to the Recombinant Vaccine References Laboratory.
Furthermore, it has been stated that Ibeh utilized a proxy to access the department’s employee Mrs. Ifedilichukwu H.E. Nma’s private account in order to obtain N7,925,098.00 for a different capital project called Research and Development on Activities Associated with DNA Typing.
The news outlet claimed that the payment was made while Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, the former director general, was in office. Mustapha is reported to have known about the violation but had protected Ibeh from punishment for a number of years.
It was also discovered that several union leaders faced reprisals and the termination of their appointments as a result of their daring to inquire about the purported violations by the management.
Ibeh verified the transfer to SaharaReporters, stating that he had done nothing improper and that the capital project payments into his account were appropriate.
He continued by saying he had paperwork to support the action. Ibeh further refuted the claim that victimization and other offenses led to the termination of the concerned union leaders.
A copy of another petition, dated July 19, 2023, signed by the association’s chairman and addressed to President Tinubu, was obtained by SaharaReporters. It requested that the President look into and probe Abdullahi and Ibeh’s financial malfeasance and flagrant abuse of position.
Additionally, he was charged with mismanaging the agency’s finances at multiple locations.
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 in the fulfilment of its mandate. The workers’ morale 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 Government 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.”
