Business

Tinubu Removes MD/CEO, 3 Executive Directors Of Rural Electrification Agency Over N1.2 Billion Fraud

Posted by: Quickresponse | March 7, 2024

President Bola Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has hss suspended the Managing Director/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, indefinitely over alleged shady financial activities amounting to N1.2 billion.
Ahmad was suspended indefinitely on Thursday alongside three Executive Directors of the Agency.
The affected are ; Olaniyi Alaba Netufo, Executive Director, Corporate Services, Barka Sajou, Executive Director, Technical Services and Sa’adatu Belgore, Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund (REF).

Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser on media and publicity confirmed the suspension of the four officials.
He said their removal was in the light of new findings unearthed during a comprehensive investigation into the financial activities of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA).

“Furthermore, President Tinubu has ordered a wider investigation into the conduct of the aforementioned officials in a fraudulent misexpenditure amounting to over N1.2 billion over the past two years, some of which has already been recovered by anti-graft agencies,” Ngelale said.

According to him, the President, has also approved the appointment of new officers to serve in the new management team of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in acting capacity with immediate effect.
Those appointed are ; Abba Abubakar Aliyu, Managing Director/CEO,
Ayoade Gboyega, Executive Director, Corporate Services and Umar Abdullahi , Executive Director, Technical Services.
Others are Doris Uboh , Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund (REF) and Olufemi Akinyelure , Head of Project Management Unit, Nigeria Electrification Project.
” President Bola Tinubu expects all appointees in his administration to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability in the discharge of their duties and reiterates his determination to elevate the yearnings of Nigerians for good governance and qualitative service delivery above the narrow interests of individuals who are entrusted to provide critical services to the Nigerian people, ” Ngelale explained.