Alleged Corruption: Muslim groups order probe of electricity company transactions
…call for reinstatement of victimised staff
No fewer than three Muslim organisations have ordered the probe of transactions of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company PLC (NBET), by the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, over allegation of corruption levied against its Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Marilyn Amobi.
Also, the groups called for the reinstatement of the Chief Finance Officer, Waziri Bintube and Head of internal Audit, Mr Abdullahi Sambo, who they claimed were being victimised by Amobi.
In a statement signed by the Coordinator of Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Prof. Is-haq Akintola, Coordinator of Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWG), Alh. Abdullahi Ibrahim and Barr. Muhammad Shehu (Abuja Muslim Forum) condemned the withholding of salaries of Bintube and Sambo since November, 2017.
Also signing the statement dated September 24, with the aforesaid are; National Secretary (MMWG), Mallam Nasir Balogun and MURIC’s duo of Ustaz Yoonus Salahudeen and Barr. Luqman Jamiu Ahmada.
The statement said, “It is a matter of serious concern that a Minister could direct an MD under him repeatedly on any matter and such instruction would not be carried out. This is an act of insubordination which ought not to be viewed with levity.”
The group added that the so-called deployment of the affected officers ought to have been approved by the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing since a new board was put in place even as it described the unilateral action of the MD as unlawful.
It added that officers posted to NBET to replace Bintube and Sambo were relatively inexperienced and could not be compared with the substantive officers unlawfully moved out of finance and internal audit department.
“The allegation made by AGF that the one of the two management staff reassigned was an HND holder, was discovered by the team to be unsubstantiated and false. As a matter of fact, the deployed Chief Finance officer Waziri Buntube and the Head of Internal Audit Abdullahi Sambo have their B.sc Accounting Degrees from recognised and reputable universities in Nigeria over 23years ago.
“The team found that what led to the current imbroglio in NBET has to do with personal and vested interest of the MD/CEO of the company in the funds of the company which was to be mismanaged and these two officers prevented and which eventually earned them illegal removal.”
