CSO Calls For The Suspension Of DG National Lottery Regulatory Commission Over Corruption Charges
The Albino Foundation Public Notice
By Our Reporters
A Civil Society Organisation, Action for Justice and Transparency against Corrupt Practices (AJTAC) has called for the immediate suspension and probe of the Director General of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Mr Lanre Gbajabiamila over alleged misappropriation of funds by staff in his commission.
In a statement signed by the organisation’s chairman, Mr Felix Nwankwo, he said that despite being in existence for 10 years with less than N10 billion generated, the effectiveness of the Commission policy initiatives and mandate looks gloomy.
According to him when the current DG was appointed in 2015, there were high hopes that he would significantly change this trend, and fulfil the mandate for which the commission was set up.
He opined that the DG brought with him enormous conflict of interest having being a DG WITH THE Lagos lottery Board.
“Lottery industry watchers would recall it was during his tenure as DG Lottery Board and the present Vice President then as Lagos State commissioner of Justice that they took the FG NLRC to court challenging FGs jurisdiction to collect statutory remittance due to government.
“On 9th August 2021, the social media and conventional news outlets were enmeshed with news of an alleged fraud in the National Lottery Regulatory Commission.
Nwankwo said, “the reports alleged that the DG had conspired with some staff in the commission to transfer millions of naira from government coffers to individual account”.
“One of the media story revealed that these financial transactions were acknowledged by the DG’s personal media aid, who explained that they were intended to provide funds to patronize the National Assembly Committees that oversee the activities of the Commission.
“Detailed and specific accounts disclosed brazen deceit, financial fraud, and impunity on behalf of the Director-General. This report was contained in a petition to EFCC and the Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs”.
He pointed out that EFCC invited over 20 staff of the Commission, mainly persons from the Finance and Account departments whose accounts were used to facilitate illicit transactions.
“Do you know that for 2 weeks the Commission operations were suspended and the Finance and Account Department closed.
However Mr Magnus Ikechukwu, the Head Media/ Public Relations of the commission when contacted had refused to pick his phone calls
Nwankwo added that Nigerians would have expected that the Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs or the Ministry to take swift action and suspend the DG to allow for effective investigation, or even send a memo to the presidency making the recommendations.
“The Commission governing Board has met on Monday 13th September 2021 without any resolution bearing on these serious allegations against the DG. Their silence speaks volumes that they intend to sweep these allegations under the carpet.
“This is therefore a clarion call to Mr President to save the Lottery Industry that hold enormous potentials”.
He questioned that what could be at play for this inaction by the ministry or government?
He said, “Is it the acquisition of the long-awaited Central Monitoring System which secured twice high level government approval (CMS road map).
“This was first officially approved by the SGF and the 2nd approval by the Hon minister Senator George Akumeh upon assuming duty at the ministry but ignored by the DG.
“this was a process that was keenly pursued jointly by NLRC and NLTF having also secured all the necessary BPP and ICRC approvals.
“Now with a budget allocation of 3.5 billion naira with promises of further patronage to high-level friends and supporters, including an all-expense paid trip to the Italy.
“As it stands, no single person neither from the Ministry or the Commission has any idea on the ongoing procurement process for the CMS, so from every indication the DG lacks the moral integrity to deliver on the CMS for the benefit of Nigerians”.
According Nwankwo the DG’s continued tenure at the Commission threatens the integrity of the President’s war against corruption, saying, “notably, other government officials have been dismissed for far less allegations than the current allegations against the DG.
“Government must make another example of the DG to demonstrate its continued anti-corruption commitment to demonstrate that NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW.
“since this regime came into power, its major stand point is its anti-corruption crusade, so why the cherry picking of his corruption victims and shielding corrupt officials in his administration.
It would be recalled that over 30 top officials have been relieved of their duties after they were indicted for financial sleaze, misappropriation, fraud, among others.
The remaining others were sacked for embarrassing administrative offenses such as forgery, insubordination, flouting of public service rules, among others.
While many of these appointees were outrightly sacked, some were indefinitely suspended and handed over to anti-graft agencies, yet many others were replaced while under suspension.
These include SGF Babachir Lawal for his involvement in a grass cutting scandal, NPA MD Hadiza Bala Usman for unremitted funds scandal, EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Magu for recovered loots scandal, CJN Walter Onnoghen’s asset declaration scandal, FIRS Chairman Babatunde Fowler’s declining tax scandal, HOS Winifred Oyo-Ita’s N570m fraud charges, NEMA DG Mustapha Maihaja’s N1.6billion scandal, NBET MD Marilyn Amobi’s this code of conduct violations, NHIS ES Usman Yusuf’s sack after two suspensions and DSS DG Lawal Daura’s National Assembly’s siege scandal
Others include NIA DG Ayo Oke’s $43m Ikoyi Towers cash haul, IGP Muhammed Adamu’s sack 2 months after tenure extension, AMCON Chairman Muiz Banire’s controversial sack, TCN MD Usman Mohammed’s removal over Siemens power deal, NCPC ES Tor Ujah’s $$400,000 diversion scandal, NECO Registrar Charles Uwake’s N25billion contract scandal, NBC DG Modibbo Kawu’s N2.5billion court case, NDDC MD Kemebradikumo Pondei’s N81.5billion scandal, TETfund ES Baffa Bichi’s N200m kickback scandal
The National Lottery Regulatory Commission is one of the pride of government aimed at elevating the welfare of its populace through its programmes.
Government relies on the Commission to effectively regulate and police the lottery industry space and ultimately generate revenue for government used to fund and implement various good cause poverty -alleviation programs across the nation.
