EFCC Investigating Tourism Minister,Edem Duke

The Economic and Financial Crimes C o m m i s s i o n (EFCC) is probing a multimillion Naira fraud allegation at the Federal Ministry of Culture,Tourism and National Orientation. The petition which formed the fulcrum on which the anti-graft agency is acting, covertly fingered the sitting minister, Edem Duke, and other principal officers of the ministry as perpetrators.

Some aggrieved workers of the ministry who are privy to sensitive information about the running of the ministry authored the petition. Specifically, the petitioners had accused the minister and senior management of the ministry of breach of procurement rules, hijacking of professional jobs in the minister’s office such as Fascinating Nigeria, WTO,CAF Meeting 2012, outsourcing of ministry’s staff professional functions to consultants and minister’s aides and use of minister’s aides for foreign trips in lieu of desk officers of professional departments.

They also alleged underpayment of cultural officers at the cultural centers abroad, poor remuneration during previous Abuja Carnival, Calabar Carnival, Macina Dubar and Gidan Makama.

In a letter to the minister dated 10th July,2013 and signed by 33 staff of the ministry, the workers alleged that “departmental projects/programmes are not executed to the letter, even though it is being budgeted for. That last year (2012), only World Tourism Day was executed out of the 12 programmes budgeted for.

The question is: What was the allocation used for?” They also alleged that “the much talked or publicised National Tourism Development Master Plan has nothing on ground to show for the huge appropriation in the last three years…” Already, the EFCC which had a copy of the petition had summoned some of the officers of the Tourism ministry for interrogation.

In a letter signed by Bashir Dalhatu on behalf of the Head, Economic Governance, dated 26th August, 2013 to the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, the EFCC sought for the release of three “key” officers of the ministry. The officers summoned included Mr. Banjo Ayodele(Tourism Dept), Mr. Monday Alabi(CPO Unit of Accounts Dept) and Mr. Oliver Akuta(Other Charges/Accounts Dept).

The letter marked CR:3000/EFCC/ABJ/E.G/ T4/VOL.12/372 reads in part: “This Commission is investigating a case of conspiracy, fraud and abuse of office in which the above named officers of your ministry featured. “In view of the above, you are kindly requested to inform and release them to interview the undersigned through Mr. Obioha Okorie on 27th August, 2013 at Block C No5 Fomella Street, Off Ademola Adetokunbo Cresent, Wuse 11, Abuja by 10:00prompt”.

It was learnt that the anti-graft agency’s intervention may not be unconnected with a 17 point staff grievances/ demand submitted to both EFCC and to the minister on 10th July this year, a copy of which was made available to select media houses. Feelers from the antigraft commission, yesterday, indicated that the agency might be forced to place all the parastatals under the ministry on its radar.

The ministry was said to be one of those with the highest number of petitions against its management from both the ministry and parastatals under it. Contacted for comments yesterday morning, EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwajaren said he did not have details on the investigations but would get back as soon as he got information.