.......internal wrangling between staffs

Abdulaziz Abdulaziz




Nigeria revenue agency decries multi-billion Naira loss through import waivers
A crisis is brewing in Nigeria’s agency responsible for sourcing and coordinating foreign investment, the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC).

A frosty relationship between the executive secretary of the commission Yewande Sadiku, and the governing council of the commission led by Babangida Nguroje, a former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, has blown open.

Investigations reveal that the relationship between the council and the executive secretary had gone sour leading to a confrontation between the two sides.

Earlier this year, a member of the governing council, Ali Sani, wrote to the executive secretary questioning the payment of millions of naira each year to herself ”in the name of foreign leave allowance”.

Documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES show that the executive secretary collected over N40 million for 2017 and 2018. She hinged her action on past practice and a ministerial approval for increment obtained in 2013.

“I understand that since 2005 when the remuneration package took effect, the foreign leave allowance has been paid to the ES holding office every year,” she wrote in a January 11 response to Mr Sani.

“The payment of the allowances to me in November 2017 and August 2018, following my resumption in November 2016 are therefore not usual.”


Combative relationship

The awry relationship between the two sides, however, got to a head earlier this month after a video recording surfaced in which the executive secretary criticised President Muhammadu Buhari’s approach of securing foreign direct investment.

In the address, which PREMIUM TIMES established took place at a meeting with directors and deputy directors of the commission, Mrs Sadiku gave the example of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who, she said, ”led the way in investment promotion”.

She said the agency’s role of advancing investment in Nigeria was more effective in the past.

“You know why? Mr President Olusegun ‘Aremu’ Obasanjo was the one going to tell companies by himself to come and invest in Nigeria,” she said.

Mrs Sadiku explained that aside wooing the investors, ”Mr Obasanjo was giving them assurances to protect them and their investments.”

“It was him himself that will say ‘Obinna, Shettima come and invest in Nigeria and any mosquito that bites you, tell NIPC, they will come and tell me’. And when you tell NIPC mosquito is biting Shettima, you go and tell the president, president will kill the mosquito.”

In contrast, the executive secretary said ”President Muhammadu Buhari is a different person all together”.

“The presidency we have now, the president we have now is a different person,” she said.


Another ‘sin’

Not long after the recorded comments at the staff meeting, a broadcast in a popular radio programme, Brekete Family, on Human Rights Radio in Abuja, further drew the ire of the governing council and staff of the commission.

In the November 6 radio programme, Mrs Sadiku was praised as a ”reform champion who was facing resistance from her staff that were used to crooked old ways.”

The council saw the broadcast as image laundering stunt for the embattled executive secretary which also portrayed staff and members of the National Assembly in bad light.


Provoked council, staff

The comments both from Mrs Sadiku and from the radio programme have obviously angered the governing council of the commission.

In a press statement on Monday, Mr Nguroje tongue-lashed Mrs Sadiku without actually calling her out.

He alleged that some appointees of government ”were teaming up with opposition in discrediting the government, rather than deliver on the mandates given them”.

Contrary to Mrs Sadiku’s scepticism, Mr Nguroje painted a picture of optimism and achievement in Nigeria’s foreign investment drive, saying the NIPC is up to the task.

The staff union, also, wrote a letter to the CEO of the radio station, who also anchored the programme, condemning what they described as unfair and malicious pronouncements on staff of the agency in the radio programme.

The protest letter was signed by Yusuf Mustapha, chairperson of the union and Emeka Nwachukwu, its secretary.

“We are therefore saying collectively and categorically that we are not crooks, we are not criminals and we are not corrupt. We are a group of patriotic Nigerians who have committed everything to this service without commensurate material benefit to our persons.”

They demanded an apology and retraction from the broadcaster, threatening legal action.

In a message to staff on Wednesday echoing some of the points made by the governing council, the chairman of the union urged the staff to remain steadfast.

“No amount of witchhunt and intimidation can deter the resolve of this great union,” he wrote.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/365543-crisis-rocks-nigerias-investment-agency-over-anti-buhari-comment-internal-wrangling.html


Executive secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, NIPC,, Yewande Sadiku

One day one day buhari go go market he no go come back

Documents seen by PREMIUM TIMES show that the executive secretary collected over N40 million for 2017 and 2018.

She's allowed to steal as much as possible because she hailed Sai Baba. You couldn't make it up.
Babangida Nguroje's only crime appears to be he criticised Buhari but this lady is allowed to plunder N40 million yearly because she knows how to praise Buhari.

But she said the truth !!!! Buhari is a perrenial failure

Hehehe! Just be a Buharideen or Buharimaniac then you're just good to go with your corruption.

Yawns.

Apart from the issue of bogus allowances she approved for herself, every other thing the woman said or did is right.
Buhari issa ongoing disaster.

When crisis no rock am... Wetin be our gain?

Believe that this people we voted into govt are working for your own good, this guys are fighting for their pockets, families and friends, the height of selfishness amongst all this politicians is on a wavy level. Las Las na ogun, sango and amadioha go kee all of them.

Buhari didn't leave Nigeria but brought investments naaw. Shut the border and rice investment sprang up naaw. U na done forget. Abi Nigerian rice farmers can't be considered as investors again! Make u na enjoy your rice. Happy new year in advance to everyone! See you guys in 2020!

It's the shirt seller again! Check my signature below for more details.

I think corruption is worse under this government than it was under GEJ

She said Buhari is not personally leading the drive for investors to Nigeria like Obasanjo used to do, now that is hate speech.
The union and the board are angry and now accuse her of collecting leave allowance of N40m which was the practice before she came on board.
All she needs to do to survive is to hire women from Abuja suburbs and give them placards praising Buhari and shouting Sai baba, Sai Buhari

Hmmm which way nija

johnkey:
One day one day buhari go go market he no go come back

This is hate speech, you are under arrest!!!

I pray that things gets bera in our dear country(nigeria) Amen!!

i just dont know what to say

PapaBaby:


She's allowed to steal as much as possible because she hailed Sai Baba. You couldn't make it up.
Babangida Nguroje's only crime appears to be he criticised Buhari but this lady is allowed to plunder N40 million yearly because she knows how to praise Buhari.

Stupid child, learn to read. She was the one who criticized Buhari, not Nguroje. It's too early to be exhibiting acute foolishness made worse by bigotry

She should pray that Abba Kyari and Mamman Daura don't get to hear this news, else she's gone.

Southerners appointed by this adminstration will always make their skeletons visible so that once push comes to shove, their oppressors can easily point to the skeleton as the reason why they are getting sacked.

Okay o.
Just enjoying my plantain chips and laughing at comments.

PapaBaby:


She's allowed to steal as much as possible because she hailed Sai Baba. You couldn't make it up.
Babangida Nguroje's only crime appears to be he criticised Buhari but this lady is allowed to plunder N40 million yearly because she knows how to praise Buhari.

Its d woman who actually "criticised" buhari. But I don't c it as criticism. Am sure she was only trying to state how obj& buhari operated which is d obvious. But what I can't understand is how she is entitled to 40m every year. Did she travel to Mars and Pluto?

o

I would believe Yewande Sadiku anyday. The entire story is hogwash including the idea she spoke against PMB. There is an agenda brewing here

Was the allowance not approved by higher authority before payment?

PapaBaby:


She's allowed to steal as much as possible because she hailed Sai Baba. You couldn't make it up.
Babangida Nguroje's only crime appears to be he criticised Buhari but this lady is allowed to plunder N40 million yearly because she knows how to praise Buhari.

Did we read the same article??
stay in class, you no gree. see your life outside

It shall never be well with Apc supporters

den of thieves

The most intolerable set of people. Continue, just remember nothing lasts forever.

PapaBaby:


She's allowed to steal as much as possible because she hailed Sai Baba. You couldn't make it up.
Babangida Nguroje's only crime appears to be he criticised Buhari but this lady is allowed to plunder N40 million yearly because she knows how to praise Buhari.

Did you read?