PRESIDENT TINUBU SUSPENDS THE MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO OF REA, ALONGSIDE 3 EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS 07-03-24
By Sadiq Aminu President Bola Tinubu has approved the indefinite suspension of the Managing Director/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency, REA, Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, alongside three Executive Directors of the Agency, from office.
The affected officials are Olaniyi Alaba Netufo, Executive Director, Corporate Services, Barka Sajou, Executive Director, Technical Services, and Sa’adatu Balgore, Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund, REF.
A statement to that effect, signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, explains that their suspension followed investigation into the financial activities of agency.
It says the President has ordered a wider investigation into the conduct of the officials in question 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.
To avoid vacuum in administration, the President has appointed a new management team of the agency in acting capacity with immediate effect:
They are Abba Abubakar Aliyu, Managing Director/CEO, Ayoade Gboyega, Executive Director, Corporate Services, and Umar Abdullahi Umar, Executive Director, Technical Services.
The rest are Doris Uboh, Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund, and Olufemi Akinyelure, Head of Project Management Unit, Nigeria Electrification Project
The statement says the President expects them to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability in the discharge of their duties.
He also wants them to demonstrate 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 Nigerians.