SAFAR, 22 1429 A.H.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29 2008
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Reps probe alleged fraud at NAN
The House of Representatives Committee on Information and National Orientation said yesterday that it had begun probing allegations of fraud at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The committee chairman, Rep. Dino Melaye, disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja.
He said the fraud was perpetrated before the assumption of office of the current Managing Director, Mrs. Oluremi Oyo.
Oyo assumed duty on July 16 last year.
Melaye said the past leadership of the agency perpetrated the fraud with the collaboration of the Director of Finance and Administration.
He alleged that the past leadership opened and maintained bank accounts for the agency, which they refused to disclose to the current chief executive.
The committee chairman cited a N14.4 million donation to the agency by an oil company, saying that the money was diverted to a private account without Oyo’s knowledge.
“She assumed duty on July 16, and on July 23, N10 million was withdrawn and the balance of N4.4 million was withdrawn on July 24 without her knowledge,’’ he said.
Melaye said his committee further discovered that several capital projects executed by the agency were handled by companies owned by some staff.
“Our checks at the Corporate Affairs Commission have confirmed this,’’ he said.
He said the committee would undertake a tour of NAN office in Lagos next week to confirm if the more than N400 million earmarked for the upgrading of the facility was properly utilised.
The committee, he said, would ensure adequate punishment for any person involved in the fraud, saying that “our resolve to stop corrupt practices in government parastatal agencies remains unshaken’’.
