Connect with us

News and Report

Sally Mbanefo In Fresh Trouble Over Alleged diversion of N500m votes: ICPC probes NTDC DG

Published

on

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has commenced investigation into the activities of the Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Sally Mbanefo.

The commission is looking into alleged mismanagement of over N500 million by the NTDC chief and her management team.

But, Mbanefo has denied all the allegations including those from Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Service(AUPCTRE).

 

According to a top source in the commission, Mbanefo has appeared twice before the ICPC investigators, following the receipt of some petitions.

Many payment vouchers have been retrieved from NTDC including PV No NTDC/CAP/240/13; PV No NTDC/CAP/237/13; PV No NTDC/CAP/261/13 and memo NTDC/M&P.39SUB.2 among others.

 

The source, who spoke in confidence, said: “We have invited her more than two times for interrogation by our team in the last few weeks.

“The issues have to do with alleged abuse of office, mismanagement or diversion of funds and recruitment without due process.

Some of the allegations being probed by ICPC include alleged misuse of N52,014,821 released to NTDC as capital budget from March to July 2014; the whereabouts of N342, 654,807 overhead budget from February-September 2014; curious withdrawal of N35 million after SURE-P had organised and sponsored Tour Guide Training Programme; and alleged spending of N14,720,000 on Notting hill Carnival in 2013

Others are disappearance of N38.3 million financial assistance from Heritage Bank, Keystone Bank, and Aso Savings, Standard Chartered Bank, Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Ondo State and UAC Property; and employment of 50 members of staff without regards for public service procedure and federal character principle.

Also, issues being investigated are alleged mismanagement of N12 million for the launch of “Fascinating Nigeria”; spending of N81.7 million on empowerment programme in 2013 and N38.5 million in 2014.

One of the petitions reads in part: “From March to July 2014, the Federal Government released capital budget of N52, 014, 821. Yet, no capital project has been embarked upon.

“Again, from February to September 2014, the Federal Government released overhead budget to the tune of N342, 654,807 for training and other logistics. Yet, no training was done, no office equipment were bought.

“Inimical to the image of the service and the nation is that the DG pulled out of the ITB Berlin UNWTO Global Marketing event in March 2014 without the knowledge and approval of the former Minister and to the utter consternation of tourism stakeholders who were also in attendance.

“That in anticipation of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, you engaged the services of contractors to develop, market and execute the Nigeria Fans Village in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In furtherance to this, you “It is alleged that you obtained funds from some banks and corporate organisations to fund this project.

“ That neither the Nigerian Embassy in Brazil nor the Nigerian Consulate in Sao Paulo had any knowledge of this project.”

Mrs. Mbanefo therefore maintained her innocence saying there is no such investigation going on against it.some people are trying to tarnish her image.

She said she had nothing to do with SURE –P fund which she said the ministry of culture collected.

She said for the Brazilian project, the company hired failed to do what was expected after which it was trying to collect money which the board of the corporation rejected.

“They are putting lies together to tarnish my image, but God won’t allow it,”

 

 

 

@ The Nation

Continue Reading
Advertisement

News and Report

FCTA uncovers illegal oil refining warehouse in Abuja

Published

on

By

In continuation of the city cleaning exercise, Authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) with operatives of security personnel have uncovered an illegal oil refining warehouse in Mabushi, opposite Mobile filling station on Ahmadu Bello way in Abuja.

 

The Director, Department of Development Control, FCTA, Mukhtar Galadima after the operation on Thursday, said the illegal refining site was discovered during the continuation of the city cleaning exercise.

 

According to him, about three to four plot of lands designated for commercial purposes have been converted to an area where oil and diesel are being adulterated and circulated to other parts of the city.

 

Galadima explained that the city sanitation task force will look into the provision of the law and make necessary recommendations to the FCT Administration for further actions on the plots used for the activity.

 

He said there was no arrest but the items used in carrying out the illegal refining have been impounded.

 

Galadima said, “During the continuation of our city sanitation exercise in Mabushi opposite Mobile filling station on Ahmadu way, we discovered an illegal refining site where oil and diesel are being adulterated, we have done the needful by moving the items to Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

 

“From what we have seen so far, about three or four pilot of lands designated for commercial purposes have been converted to unapproved activities, which we believe the owners are fully aware, there will be consequences.

 

“We are going to look at the provision of the law and make necessary recommendations to the FCT Administration”

 

He said the administration will continue to go tough on activities being carried out without government approval,  especially revocation of the titles.

 

Collaborating, Head, operations FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Service (DRTS), Deborah Osho said the city management team during the exercise also discovered that most of the areas in the Nation’s capital have been converted to illegal car mart and motor parks.

 

She disclosed that fifteen vehicles have so far been impounded since the operation commenced about two days.

Continue Reading

News and Report

Central Bank To Freeze Accounts Without BVN, NIN From April 2024

Published

on

By

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said on Friday that it will freeze accounts without a Bank Verification Number (BVN) or National Identification Number (NIN) from April 2024.

This is according to a Friday circular by the apex bank which said a BVN or NIN verification will be “conducted shortly”.

It also said all BVN or NIN attached to accounts/wallets must be electronically revalidated by January 31, 2024, according to the circular by the CBN Director of Payments System Management Department Chibuzo Efobi, and the Director of Financial Policy and Regulation Department Haruna Mustapha.

More details later….

 

Continue Reading

News and Report

Adebayo Alli: Guinness Nigeria gets new Managing Director, Its first Nigerian CEO since 2015 …..

Published

on

By

Guinness Nigeria has announced the appointment of Mr Adebayo Alli as its new Managing Director, its first Nigerian MD since 2015.

The appointment comes after John Musunga, the now erstwhile MD of Guinness Nigeria moved to become Diageo Africa’s Managing Director for Southern, West, and Central Africa.

The announcement was given after the company’s board meeting held on Monday, November 27, 2023.

According to the corporate filing on NGX’s website signed by the Company Secretary, Abidemi Ademola, Adebayo Alli would resume his new role within the company on January 1, 2024.

Profile of Adebayo Alli …..

Adebayo Alli, a mechanical engineer by training, holds a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Ibadan and an MSc in Advanced Process Engineering from Loughborough University, UK.

He joined Diageo, owner of Guinness Nigeria in 2005 as a Packaging Operations Support Manager. Since then, he has gone on to work as project lead for a business transformation project in Meta Abo Brewery Limited, Ethiopia, another of Diageo Africa’s businesses. In 2014, he became a plant manager at the Meta Abo Brewery, and in 2015, Supply Chain Director.

Upon his return to Nigeria in 2017, he assumed the role of Operations Director at Guinness Nigeria before shifting his focus towards general management, venturing into multiple senior commercial sales positions within Guinness Nigeria PLC.

His trajectory saw a brief tenure between 2019 and 2020 as the Director for IPS, Reserve & Modern Trade. Subsequently, in 2020, Bayo ascended to the role of Commercial Director at Guinness Nigeria.

What you should know….

Guinness Nigeria’s last Nigerian MD was Seni Adetu who served between 2012 and 2015. Since him, John O’Kefee an Irish man became the MD, followed by Peter Ndegwa, a Kenyan, Baker Magunda, another Kenyan, then John Musunga, also another Kenyan.

Guinness Nigeria Plc is majorly owned by Diageo Plc with a 58% stake. In the past, Diageo’s only footprint in Nigeria was through Guinness Nigeria and the Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria also doubled as the head of the Diageo brand in the country.

However, after Diageo announced a discontinuation of its import deal with Guinness Nigeria, which meant Guinness Nigeria would no longer import Johnnie Walker and Baileys into Nigeria, it was also announced that Diageo was creating a new “wholly owned spirits-focused business” to manage the importation and distribution of those premium spirits brand in West and Central Africa. Presumably, John Musunga is resuming to head this new business.

Continue Reading

Trending