Group gives top NCDMB boss 14-day ultimatum over N7.7bn scandal, threatens protest in Abuja

• The Network for Oil Sector Transparency and Reform (NOSTR) has fixed a 14-day ultimatum to the NCDMB boss, Engr. Felix Ogbe to resign implicit alleged N7.7 cardinal scandal
• The radical accused Ogbe of unauthorised payments to a backstage consultancy, contract-splitting, and lavish spending connected overseas training
• NOSTR has called connected President Tinubu to intervene, informing of thoroughfare protests if nary enactment is taken

Abuja, FCT - A civilian nine radical focused connected transparency successful Nigeria’s lipid assemblage has issued a two-week ultimatum to the enforcement caput of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, to resign implicit allegations of unauthorised payments totalling N7.7 cardinal oregon look wide protests successful Abuja.

The Network for Oil Sector Transparency and Reform (NOSTR), successful a connection signed by its president, Ambassador Charles Abakpa, described the alleged disbursements arsenic a betrayal of nationalist trust.

NCDMB office nether scrutiny amid allegations of unauthorised payments and contract-splitting. Photo credit: @OfficialNCDMB
Source: Twitter

Alleged amerciable payments to backstage firm

According to NOSTR, Ogbe authorised payments to a backstage steadfast without securing support from the Federal Executive Council (FEC), a request nether Nigeria’s procurement laws. The payments, reportedly initiated by the board’s acting Director of Finance, Fatima Bashir Mohammed, were intended to retrieve deductions made by the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) from the Nigerian Content Development Fund.

“This is simply a ungraded of monumental proportions,” Abakpa said.“Felix Ogbe indispensable measurement speech instantly to let for an autarkic investigation. We are giving him 14 days.”

NOSTR threatens protests

NOSTR warned that nonaccomplishment to resign wrong the stipulated clip framework would pb to wide mobilisations and thoroughfare protests successful the Federal Capital Territory.

The radical accused Ogbe’s enactment of a signifier of misconduct, including contract-splitting to evade procurement thresholds, unauthorised appointments, and questionable overseas grooming expenditures.

“The effort to warrant this looting nether the pretext of consultancy is not lone laughable but insulting to the quality of Nigerians,” Abakpa said.

NOSTR condemns alleged luxury grooming abroad

The radical besides cited a papers purportedly showing that the committee approved implicit N580 cardinal for a five-day grooming successful London. The funds reportedly covered estacodes, logistics, and allowances for committee members and 15 stakeholders successful the fiscal sector.

“At a clip erstwhile mean Nigerians can’t spend a meal, the NCDMB enactment is jetting disconnected to London. This is wickedness successful precocious places,” Abakpa said.

He further alleged that cardinal appointments wrong the concern department, including those of the acting Director of Finance and the acting General Manager of Finance and Accounts, were made solely astatine Ogbe’s discretion without due authorities clearance.

“This raises reddish flags astir interior accountability wrong the committee and suggests an interior ellipse built for exploitation, not transparency,” helium said.

He further accused Ogbe of orchestrating contract-splitting schemes designed to bypass procurement laws, noting that the full disbursement exceeded the bounds allowed by the Ministerial Tenders Board.

“These are not conscionable administrative breaches—they are transgression acts and indispensable beryllium treated arsenic such,” Abakpa added.

NOSTR urges Tinubu to intervene

NOSTR called connected President Bola Tinubu to enactment swiftly, describing the concern arsenic a trial of the administration’s committedness to warring corruption.

“If nary enactment is taken wrong 2 weeks, we volition deed the streets of Abuja successful peaceful protestation and stay determination until Ogbe is removed and a afloat probe is launched,” Abakpa said, referencing the caller suspension of erstwhile Humanitarian Affairs Minister Betta Edu arsenic precedent.“Nigerians are bushed of being robbed successful daylight. This is not conscionable a request for resignation—it is simply a request for justice,” helium added.

NCDMB office nether scrutiny amid allegations of unauthorised payments and contract-splitting. Photo credit: @OfficialNCDMB
Source: Twitter

The NCDMB is yet to respond to the allegations.

NPA clears aerial connected declaration awards

In different report, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) issued a steadfast denial of caller reports circulating online that impeach the organisation of large-scale fiscal misconduct and procedural irregularities.

The Authority described the accusations claiming misappropriation of billions of naira arsenic baseless, misleading, and devoid of substance.

In a elaborate connection released connected Sunday, January 11, 2025, the NPA responded to assorted aspects of the report, firmly asserting that its operations are conducted nether scrutiny from aggregate national bodies.

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Source: Legit.ng