Igali, Perm Sec, Ministry of Power Dragged Before EFCC Over N3.6bn Budgeted For NAPSAS/NAPTIN
Adetokunbo Fakeye
Some concerned Nigerians have petitioned, Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC to investigate how a whopping sum of N3.6billion allegedly budgeted for Federal Ministry of Power by President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for the purpose of the NAPSAS/NAPTIN apprenticeship training scheme for young graduates in the country was spent.
In the petition written by a human rights lawyer, Chief Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla, which Presidency was copied and made available to NigerianEcho, it was said inter alia: “Under the NAPSAS apprenticeship scheme each trainee was supposed to be paid the sum of N18, 000.00 as a monthly stipend during the training.
“However, throughout apprenticeship training our clients and their colleagues were never paid their entitlements and allowances throughout the duration of the programme despite the fact that N3.6 Billion was budgeted for the payment of allowances of trainees under the scheme by the Federal Government of Nigeria”
Read the full petition below:
17th, August 2015
The Chairman
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Abuja.
Dear Sir,
PETITION FOR THE INVESTIGATION OF THE SUBVERSION OF THE SUM OF N3.6 BILLION BUDGETED FOR THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF POWER NATIONAL POWER SECTOR APPRENTICESHIP SCHEME (NAPSAS)/NATIONAL POWER TRAINING INSTITUTE (NAPTIN) BY AMBASSADOR GODKNOWS IGALI (PERMANENT SECRETARY , FEDERAL MINISTRY OF POWER); MRS SIBIL WILLIAMS (CO-ORDINATOR OF NAPSAS) AND ENGINEER REUBEN OKEKE, DIRECTOR –GENERAL, NATIONAL POWER TRAINING INSTITUTE OF NIGERIA)
We are a firm of Legal Practitioners & Consultants whose practice is devoted towards the promotion of the virtues of integrity, transparency and accountability in the private and sectors of the country.
We have the instruction of Abubukar Madugu (08036080156) of No. 2 Bamako Road, Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria and Engineer David Garba (08034760247) of Block 2, Flat 2, Federal Housing Authority, Nyanya UBA, by Mararaba-Nyanya, Abuja, Nigeria respectively (hereinafter referred to as Our Clients).
We have the instruction of Our Clients to write to you to investigate the misappropriation sums of N3.6 Billion that was budgeted by the Federal Government of Nigeria for the purpose of the NAPSAS/NAPTIN apprenticeship training scheme for young graduates in the country.
Recall that the NAPSAS apprenticeship scheme was launched by former President Good luck Jonathan in June, 2014 who stated that it was meant to provide employment and sustain development strides in the power sector.
It is pertinent to state that more than 7, 400 trainees drawn from the 36 States of the Federation and Abuja were recruited to participate in the first batch of the programme.
It is instructive that our Clients and other young Nigerians were recruited under the NAPSAS apprenticeship training scheme for training were denied wickedly their allowances and entitlements by greed officials of the Federal Ministry of Power.
Under the NAPSAS apprenticeship scheme each trainee was supposed to be paid the sum of N18, 000.00 as a monthly stipend during the training.
However, throughout apprenticeship training our clients and their colleagues were never paid their entitlements and allowances throughout the duration of the programme despite the fact that N3.6 Billion was budgeted for the payment of allowances of trainees under the scheme by the Federal Government of Nigeria.
It is pertinent to mention to mention those who were involved in the subversion of this laudable scheme that was initiated to help in youth employment in the country include the Permanent Secretary of Federal Minister of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali; NAPSAS Coordinator, Mrs Sibil Williams and the Director General of National Power Training Institute, Engineer Rueben.
We therefore urge your Commission to immediately launch investigation of this scam in the spirit of the transparency and accountable that is the cornerstone of the present Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Yours Sincerely
Chief Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla
CC:
Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Presidential Villa, Aso Drive, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigeria.
