The corruption at the state level is very mind boggling. We so much concentrate on the centre forgetting the federating units.

I expect the EFCC is to be involved although I expect little or nothing as the outcome but at least...

Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State has ordered the immediate suspension of the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Perekebena Omoun Perez.

The governor also ordered the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Bennett Agamah; Assistant Director, Agricultural Engineering, Oki Yintareke; and the Chief Accountant, Gabriel Idiatacheko, “to proceed on compulsory leave until further notice in line with civil service extant rules.”

This was made known on Wednesday in a statement made available to journalists in Warri by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Kingsley Emu.
Oborevwori also set up a probe panel to investigate the suspended government officials.

The suspension, it was reliably gathered followed a report by SaharaReporters on the illegal transfer of N280million meant for agriculture programme into a private bank account.

SaharaReporters had last week reported that Perez Omoun, Delta State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Permanent Secretary, Ben Agamah and workers in the ministry were accused of illegally transferring N280million meant for agricultural programmes to a private account.

This violates the Public Procurement Act.

Raising the alarm, sources in the ministry had told SaharaReporters that the N280 million which was meant for an agricultural programme called “Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme (AADS), was illegally transferred in tranches and to a private account by the commissioner in connivance with the permanent secretary.

One of the sources had said, "Since this illegal transaction came to our notice, it has been a topic in the ministry where staff discussed it in hushed tones. The commissioner and permanent secretary have committed the same offence committed by the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu and apart from that, the civil service rules and the financial regulations policy of this country actually frown on this kind of transaction which encourages corruption.

“It is illegal to send public funds to private accounts. The N280 million was illegally transferred into the private account of one Engineer Oki in three tranches. This is how the commissioner in connivance with his permanent secretary illegally transferred the money into the private account of Engineer Oki. N100 million was first transferred in the first tranche, the second tranche was N80 million and the third tranche was N100 million making the N280 million. There was no committee set up; nothing was set up for the money before this financial crime was carried out.

"I am using this opportunity to call on the state governor, His Excellency Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori to set up a panel to investigate the commissioner and the permanent secretary who are currently boasting that nothing will happen. I am also calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to come into the matter as well." the source had stated.

Another staff member of the ministry privy to the transfer had called on the state governor, Sheriff Oborevwori to keenly monitor all the ministries, government agencies and parastatals to curb corruption and fraudulent activities adding that "The ministry of the agriculture and natural resources is one of the powerful ministries where huge funds are allocated to carry out agricultural programmes. Millions of naira are always allocated to the ministry and if there are no mechanisms to check the usage of such public funds, you will see commissioner, permanent secretary and senior staff looting the funds left and right. The illegal transfer of the N280 million to a private account by the commissioner in connivance with the permanent secretary is the talk of the ministry and it must be investigated.

"I’m not surprised and we can't forget in a hurry what happened in December 2020, when this same commissioner for agriculture, Perez Omoun, who was the then-chairman of Patani Local Government Area was remanded in Ogwashi-Uku Correctional Centre by a magistrate court sitting in Asaba for allegedly attacking the then-state commissioner for energy, Basil Ganagana. Omoun was arrested and charged to court by the police on four counts bordering on intent to cause grievous harm, unlawfully wound, maliciously damage and attempting to commit suicide but he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

"Following his plea, the prosecutor, F. O. Itua, urged the court to remand him since the court lacked the jurisdiction to adjudicate on the suit. Subsequently, the presiding magistrate, V. O. Okonta, ordered the remand of Omoun at the Ogwashi-Ukwu Correctional Centre till December 30, 2020 pending the determination of his bail application and the issue of jurisdiction raised by the prosecutor. However, some top politicians in the state especially his colleagues under the umbrella of ALGON had to beg Basil Ganagana to forgive him and the matter was withdrawn. He was set free and we hope he leads the ministry well as a commissioner. It's unfortunate though.", the staff had stated.

It was gathered on Tuesday that the commissioner, permanent secretary some others had been holding a series of meetings in the ministry since news about the transfer broke.

When contacted, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ben Agamah, had sounded nervous and after questioning, he had said: "Please give me some minutes, I will call you back to speak with the person in charge of that schedule to explain to you better.” However, he did not call back.
When contacted, the state commissioner for agriculture and natural resources, Perez Omoun, had declined comment and simply said "Please write me a letter officially, and after my approval, I will give you a date you can come to my office for this interview."

Workers in the ministry have called for an in-depth investigation into the matter and the immediate sacking of those connected to the transactions to serve as a deterrent to others.

https://saharareporters.com/2024/01/31/delta-governor-oborevwori-suspends-commissioner-permanent-secretary-others-after

As a country we can not move forward if we have a total disrespect for the rule of law. This APC government has shown the capacity severally to undermine our common equality, the law, and sadly some of us are cheering them on. It most unfortunate.

We must stand with the law at all times even if it's against our sentiment, otherwise we will all be casualties of the big man system we have created.

Progress is prescipitated on the absoluteness of the rule of law.

We should be careful of the things we say, tolerance should be a virtue.

Obasanjo is an elderstate man, his service to this nation Nigeria and Africa is beyond estimation. We should not because of politics or hatred rubbish his services, in fact his services tower far above all presidential candidates.

President Obasanjo like every other Nigerian has endorse his candidate, we should be fine with it, because it is his own right, after all this will not be his first, so this bullying should stop hence forth.

Nairaland, I wish the government can clamp down on members especially moderators because the amount of ethnic hate been display here is very worrying.

See ehn this country it seems president Buhari is not in charge, for certain persons to challenge policies that the president has consented to, and even plotting to truncate and undermine these policies without thinking of the consequences from the president shows president Buhari has lost it.

The president needs to bear the full weight of his office to restore sanity to governance.

Well meaning Nigerians should constantly called a spade a spade, we should have no place for indiscipline and big man syndrome. Nigeria is our only country and should be protected and sustained for the next generation.

Please president Buhari exert the full weight of the presidency, enough of this show of disrespect, and 'who dey there mentality'.

APC was expected to improve the fortunes of the country when they won in 2015&2019 but quite frankly and sadly they eroded all the gains we have made as a nation. This same APC who ordinary should have apologized and left the political scene in shame have the boldness of fronting a candidate with a shoddy past singing renewed hope. It is very sad, it shows how we have sank as a nation.

Tinubu presidency would not be different from this present one if he wins. The people pushing his candidacy, his PCC members are presently in the government that has brought us to our kneels, they will eventually makeup his government para venture he wins.

An apple never falls far from its tree.

I look forward to a working Nigeria for Nigerians powered by HE Peter Obi, tested and trusted.

It's very sad how we have lost touch with morality, and human feelings.

How will friends and family feel if they saw your comments.

We should be careful because we will surely reap what we sow. Please don't sow hatred, so you wouldn't reap hatred.

FirstSon01:
Evil party.

See how he looks like he's the one eating Nigeria money.

Obi has used this one to subscribe, if he likes let him kill more people, he won't win anything.

President of Nigeria is not his calling, he should try president of beerfraud.

LeoDeKing:

He is a beneficiary of pandora Obituary campaign donations.

His next of kin will soon cash out from donations by zombidense and Igbos.

Softmirror:


DID YOU DO METAPHORS IN SCHOOL? IF YOU DID IT BE VERY EASY TO GRASP THE MESSAGE BEING PASSED. BUT SINCERELY, PEOPLE WITH VERY LOW IQ WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND NO MATTER THE EDUCATION.

It's quite a task when you try validate statement that are absolutely meaningless.

It's just so derogatory and offensive to refer to Africa, as church rat.

"It is question of how do you prevent the church rat from eating poison holy communion."

I want to know what is the correlation between this statement and climate change. Is Africa the church rat? Is it not derogatory as well as insulting to call Africa church rat?

Tinubu supporters please educate me.

If Nigeria was to be your private company and it is this sick because of bad management would you in all honesty and fairness consider the application of baba Tinubu for managerial position for your dieing company.

Tinubu government wouldn't be different from President Buhari, because of the composition of his PCC, these are the people that will form his government.

Consider Nigeria has your private business and support the best candidate Peter Obi to fix this dieing company.
According to HE Osinbajo “You cannot wish the country well and vote for someone you do not believe in,”

One of the reasons I am chiefly routing for H.E Peter Obi to win next year presidential election is that it will give other excellent Nigerians who have genuine intentions to further our national progress to vie for elective position. They will be confident that Nigerians are the real structure.

Surely there is hope for my rootlessly raped country; Nigeria.

Tinubu is a master politician but he didn't need to bring a Buhari before becoming a president. ~~ Datti.

i guess you are a member of The Churh of Christ

FreeStuffsNG:
Thank God! We do not practice tithing among the Saints and I have never paid tithe all my life in the church Christ paid for with His blood. I pray others come to this truth too very soon.

No new testament church should ever collect tithe.

Nice one by this influencial member of the clergy. I am particularly happy that he is black. He should write his own 99 thesis too like Martin Luther.

There are still other errors like the concept of denominationalism with one senior head and branches, use of musical instruments in worship, sprinkling of water for baptism instead of full immersion, creating titles like Reverend, General Overseer, Archbishop etc,
confusing the post of an evangelist with a Pastor, appointing those who have not met the qualities of an Elder/Pastor as a Pastor and having a single pastor leading a congregration instead of having 2 or more among many other errors still in place.

Ti iro ba lo ni ogun odun, otito a ba ni ona.

Meanwhile,if you want free book on business ideas & money sources directory for you,it's 100% free! to download, read and use, please check my signature. Cheers.

Peter Obi ticks all the boxes.

If you are for fairness and equity, then it's Peter Obi.
If you are for brilliance, then it's Peter Obi
If you are persuaded by quality experience, then it's Peter Obi, tested and trusted.
If you are for a non controversial candidate with solid background, then it's Peter Obi.
If you are for hope, then surely it's Peter Obi.

Atiku is good, Tinubu is better, but Peter Obi is the best for the future of this country.

If the moderator was sensible, this thread will be deleted immediately.

i can not seems to understand most nigerians way of thoughts, how we find satisfaction and gratitude in suffering and tough times of neighbours, it quite sad.

Consider the Google pixel 3 xl or LG G7