Reps Order Immediate Suspension, Prosecution Of PRODA Acting DG

The House of Representatives on Wednesday has called for the immediate suspension of the Acting Director General of the Project Development Institute, Enugu, Dr. Fabian Okonkwo for gross violation of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act.

The House said Dr. Okonkwo and all principal Staff of the Institute involved in the illegal payment of Contractors should be referred to the relevant government anti-graft Agencies for investigation and prosecution.

Adopting a report of the House Committee on Public Procurement, the House at plenary accused the Acting Director General of abusing the provisions of the public procurement, while the Head of Accounts, Mr. Patrick Nebuwa, should also be suspended with immediate effect and handed over to relevant government anti-graft Agencies for immediate investigation and prosecution.

Mr. Nebuwa is to be suspended for conniving with the Acting Director General to make illegal payment and reactivate account with Zenith Bank Plc in total disregard to Mr. President’s directive on Treasury Single Account (TSA) and without approval from the Accountant General’s Office.

The House also asked the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the Presidency to sanction the governing Board of the Institute for interfering in the executive functions of the institute by directing the Acting Director General to re-activate the account with Zenith Bank Plc in gross violation of Mr. President’s order on Treasury Single Account (TSA) as well as their directive to the Acting Director General to cancel and re-award contracts that have been completed by contractors.

Other recommendations approved by the House include: that “all the contracts that were awarded by the Acting Director-General of Project Development Institute (PRODA) Enugu, Engr. Fabian Okonkwo, remains nullified and all monies paid to Companies that were awarded contracts illegally, should be recovered by relevant government anti-graft Agencies immediately, also recommend freezing of accounts of those companies that were paid illegally.

“The Acting Director-General Engr. Fabian Okonkwo should be suspended with immediate effect and handed over to the relevant government anti-graft Agencies for investigation in line with the provisions of Sections 53 and 58 of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

“All principal Staff of the Project Development Institute (PRODA) Enugu, involved in the illegal payment of Contractors should be referred to the relevant government anti-graft Agencies for investigation and prosecution.

“All contractors who have completed and verified their jobs under the 2020 Appropriation Act prior to the assumption of office of Dr. Fabian Okonkwo, should be paid by the Project Development Institute (PRODA) Enugu immediately, and all payments should be completed before 31 March, 2021.

“That Procurement Unit of the Project Development Institute (PRODA) Enugu, should be headed by the most senior certified and converted Procurement Officer and the use of non-procurement Officers in approving payments on procurement GIFMIS platform should be stopped with immediate effect;

“That the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology and Secretary to the Government of the Federation should ensure that the affairs of the Agency should be handed over to the most senior person that is not involved in these allegations, relying strictly on the instant circulars from Secretary to the Government of the Federation with regards to handover of headship of Agencies, until the determination of the investigative panel set up by Secretary to the Government of the Federation. This has to be done with immediate effect to avoid vacuum in the Agency and smooth running of the Agency.”

The House also recommended “the withdrawal and reversal of malicious unwarranted disciplinary actions against staff of the Institute and all staff posting be reversed immediately in the interest of industrial harmony.

“The allegation of extortion of money from contractors against Comrade Daniel Onjeh, the Former Chairman of the governing Board of the Project Development Institute (PRODA) Enugu, was outside the scope of the committee’s mandate and therefore, advise the complainants to take relevant legal step if necessary.”

It however asked the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) should conduct a Post Procurement Audit of the Project Development Institute (PRODA) Enugu, from 2015 to date and report back to the Committee.

-NATION