LAGOS APRIL 29TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The federal information ministry has ordered the board of the News Agency of Nigeria to immediately commence investigations into over a dozen allegations of corruption and highhandedness against the agency’s boss, Ima Niboro.
In response, the board has raised a three-man committee, led by a board member, Ossai Ifeanyi, to thoroughly investigate the allegations against Mr. Niboro and report back to the board without delay.
The board will in turn furnish the information ministry with details of its findings with a view to determining whether Mr. Niboro is innocent or guilty of the allegations and whether he should be allowed to remain in office or be removed.
Sources at the information ministry also told PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday that the ministry, which described the allegations as “grievous”, has already queried Mr. Niboro, asking him to respond to the charges.
The investigation commences more than one month after three staff members of the agency petitioned the information ministry, which has supervisory powers of NAN, accusing Mr. Niboro of financial mismanagement and authoritarianism.
The Chairman of the agency’s board, Ibrahim Buba, confirmed to PREMIUM TIMES Tuesday that investigation into the allegations against Mr. Niboro had begun based on the instruction from the information ministry.
The petitioners accused Mr. Niboro of distorting a functional organogram of the agency through “irrational transfers,” approving fund beyond his legal limits, awarding contracts without necessary approvals and running down the morale of workers.
Mr. Niboro denied all the charges in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES saying the petitioners – although faceless – constituted a cabal that mismanaged the agency before his appointment. He argued that the changes he has so far made at the agency put him at odds with the cabal after he shut down financial leakages and administrative recklessness at the agency.
“When you fight corruption, corruption fights back,” he said. “They accuse you of corruption to muddle the issues.”
The allegations
The redesign and management of NAN’s webs infrastructure is foremost on the grievance list compiled by some staff of the agency. They accused Mr. Niboro of awarding the design of the news portal to Infomall – a Nigerian software development company – for N16.6 million without a tendering process which would have seen the contractor compete with other developers for expertise and cost.
“Indeed, the award was made on job proposal,” the petition told the permanent secretary, Ministry of information, to which they addressed their complaints.
The same company was awarded a second data archiving contract for N16.5 million and the sums paid instantly, “without certification by the technical or IT unit”.
Mr. Niboro however claims that iMate Ltd and Alpha International Ltd also bidded for the project, although he didn’t say why the project was not advertised as required by law. But the winner of the contract, Infomall, submitted its bid and was awarded the job within 24 hours.
In his short stay, his subordinates say he has acquired four luxury cars worth N50 million with the agency’s funds, while there is no drinking water in the agency’s head office in Abuja, and staff are owed allowances.
“Within the last one year, Mr. Niboro acquired two Ford Pilot trucks – both costing more N10.9 million each – and a Range Rover 2010 model worth N23.5 million. These were acquired nine months after the agency paid for the purchase of a Pajero,” the petitioners said.
Mr. Niboro admitted buying the Ford Pilot trucks with flash lights but argued that he acquired them for special duties including navigating difficult terrains for stories.
“I put one in Abuja and the other in Lagos,” he said. “I do not use them myself. I do not drive in convoy as the petitioners claim.”