President Bola Tinubu has suspended the Managing Director/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency, REA, Ahmad Ahmad, and three Executive Directors of the agency, from office.
The suspended EDs are Olaniyi Netufo, Executive Director, Corporate Services, Barka Sajou, Executive Director, Technical Services and Sa’adatu Balgore, Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund, REF.
The president also ordered probe of the EDs over their alleged involvement in a fraudulent mis-expenditure amounting to over N1.2 billion over the past two years, some of which has already been recovered by anti-graft agencies.
Tinubu in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, on Wednesday, in Abuja, said:
“In the light of new findings unearthed during a comprehensive investigation into the financial activities of the Rural Electrification Agency, REA, President Tinubu has approved the indefinite suspension of the Managing Director/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency, REA, Ahmad Ahmad, alongside three Executive Directors of the agency, from office.
“The affected Executive Directors are Olaniyi Netufo, Executive Director, Corporate Services, Barka Sajou, Executive Director, Technical Services and Sa’adatu Balgore, Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund, REF.
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“Furthermore, President Tinubu has ordered a wider investigation into the conduct of the aforementioned officials in a fraudulent mis-expenditure amounting to over N1.2 billion over the past two years, some of which has already been recovered by anti-graft agencies.
“By the directive of the President, the following qualified Nigerians are appointed to serve in the new management team of REA in acting capacity with immediate effect.
“They are Abba Aliyu, Managing Director/CEO, Ayoade Gboyega, Executive Director, Corporate Services, Umar Umar, Executive Director, Technical Services, Doris Uboh, Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund, REF and Olufemi Akinyelure, Head of Project Management Unit, Nigeria Electrification Project
“President 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,” the statement added.
