When last week the Federal Government directed the Director General of National Insititute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Professor Akin Akindoyeni, to proceed on compulsory leave, it was a culmination of several months of investigations by the Presidency on several scandals.
Documents made available to Sunday Trust indicated that a high power panel had been constituted to unearth the various issues that have dogged the affairs of the institute since Professor Akindoyeni assumed the headship of NIPSS. According to the documents, apart from allegations that the management of the elite college was involved in sundry financial scandals, it raised serious doubts over the manner the Akindoyeni-led administration awarded contracts.
Some of the allegations as contained in the documents were that the management of NIPSS diverted several millions of Naira raised from oil companies under the pretext of “Presidential Directive for Project on Resource Mapping and Management” tours undertaken by the former the DG of NIPPS. The document alleged that the monies were not accounted for by NIPSS. Closely tied to this was the diversion of several millions of Naira for the printing of books, which cost, Akindoyeni’s accusers alleged, should not be more than a quarter of a million Naira.
One of the allegations brought against both the former DG and the Secretary and Director of Administration, Dr. Yakubu Sankey, who took over from the former DG, was the use of the institute to acquire Mercedes Benz cars at give away prices from the Nigeria Customs Service. Citing letter NI/IMD/VOL 1, dated February 01, 2007 addressed to Mr Buba Gyang, the former Customs boss, the document alleged that the duo had been allies in perpetuating several financial improprieties against the institute.
A source told our reporter that beyond the allegations of financial mismanagement against the Akindoyeni-led administration of NIPSS, the government was worried by another allegation that the former DG was indicted by a commission of inquiry. But another source close to the former DG dismissed the allegations, explaining that since the former DG came on board, a certain force had been at play to rubbish his records.
Akindoyeni was also accused of running a regime of vendetta towards those who were against him, just as he also embarked on measures to reward his loyal staff. One of such loyal men, the document revealed, was a staff who served as personal assistant to the DG. He was alleged to have been given several contracts, which include the furnishing of the DG’s official residence at the cost of N380.000.00. A member of staff (names withheld) was also rewarded for helping a top management staff out of a rent scandal committee investigation in 2005. Another staff was also accused of colluding with some top management staff in squandering pension funds belonging to NIPSS.
Another issue of interest was the renting of the NIPSS liaison office in Abuja. Some of the workers had, in an earlier petition, questioned the circumstances under which the deal was struck, saying it was suspect and called on the Federal Government to review the conditions for the rent. The rent, which was said to be N34 million, was paid by the Geological Survey but was allegedly not paid into the accounts of NIPSS. When the amount was paid into the coffers of the institute four months later, the workers had demanded for the payment of the interest because the petitioners had alleged that it was initially lodged into the account of a top management staff.
NIPSS was also accused of awarding contracts to companies alleged to be fronting for top management staff of the institute. Some of these contracts, which run into several millions of Naira, were awarded to loyal staff and also served as conduit pipes in siphoning monies.
Sunday Trust is in possession of documents which show that the institute’s workers had always insisted that most of the contracts could be handled internally by the institute as they had the capacity to carry out the job without external involvement.
Apart from the controversy that has been sparked off by the contracts, documents available to Sunday Trust indicate that the institute had before the sacking of Akindoyeni turned into a hotspot of internal bickering and non-adherence to the due process in awarding such contracts alleged to be given to companies that were fronts for top officials of the college.
Documents made available to Sunday Trust shows that several companies benefitted from various contracts. Some of these companies include, among others, Crystal Pegasus International which was awarded the contract of furnishing the VIP Lodge at the NIPSS at Kuru at the sum of N14, 916, 580,00; Aryel Nigeria Ltd, got the contract for electronic network/video link provision of hardware for the institute at N19, 525, 000, 00.
Giga Tech. Company was awarded contract for the provision of software development for departments and units in the institute at the sum N18, 500, 000,00. Rehob Consult, another company, was given the job of providing hardware accessories for N9,103,000, 00. Linkage Nigeria Ltd was given the job of upgrading the internet bandwidth at N19,144,000,00. Joriada Integrated Services was given the job of automating the institute library at N15, 850, 000, 00 and another contract of N2, 428, 470, 00 for the furnishing of a house at No 8, Kwara Way. Another company, Messrs Gramac Nig. Enterprise, was awarded the contract for the supplies of three desktop computers at N250, 000, 00. Similarly Ebotes Nig. Ltd was given the job of furnishing and equipping the kitchen complex of the institute at the cost N14, 657, 095, 00.
Apart from allegations that several of these companies were favoured with juicy contracts, the document also alleged inflation of contracts for feeding which runs into millions of Naira. But the DG had dismissed the allegation of contract inflation on feeding when he told Sunday Trust in September 2007 that he was amazed when people talked about the cost of food at the institute. He said the institute usually catered for no less than 60 participants at a time, who are usually very important personalities. He said the persons were fed three times a day and the contract for the supply of the food items were awarded only after the audit department conducted a market survey.
He said before he came to the institute, he discovered they were giving the contractors a 25 percent margin of profit on their supplies, but said he quarrelled with that and was able to reduce same to 15 percent.
He explained that some of the participants being VIPs sometimes come to the institute with a retinue of personal aides like drivers and other assistants whom he said cannot be denied feeding by the institute. He insisted that the amount spent on food could not be said to be too much, considering the kind of people being fed.
On the companies that do contracts for the institute, Akindoyeni said he was not aware if any of the companies was a front for any top management staff and would want the list of those companies forwarded to him so he could conduct an investigation.
It is not only the issue of finance that attracted attention of those who opposed Akindoyeni while he headed NIPSS. The issue of employment was a serious matter. For instance, the college’s management was accused of recruiting only people close to them in order to ensure complete loyalty. Tabulating the recruitment exercise done in previous years, some of the petitions under investigation alleged that the North West geo-political zone was completely left out in the scheme of things.
On the alleged abuse of employment which precluded people from the North-western part of the country, the DG had debunked them and said that there were quite a number of people from that part of the country working at the institute.
He said people complained that their parts of the country were being marginalised when they forward candidates’ names for employment and are not taken due to one reason or the other. The DG, in addition, had explained that there were parts of the country that applications received are very low for vacancies, even if they were advertised. Akindoyeni had said that he could not force people to apply.
On the alleged underground dealings in the renting of the Abuja Liaison office, he explained that, he found out that the place was rented to the National Geological Agency when he resumed duty as DG. He said the client, though a government agency, was introduced to the institute by an agent who collected his commission. But when he resumed, he reviewed the rates paid by the tenants and they paid.
On the issue of diversion of hundreds of millions of naira meant for research and endowment funds, the DG said he was not aware of any donation in his tenure. Commenting on allegation that N57 million meant for library books disappeared, the DG explained that a certain foreign company, Claude Thompson, which supplied the institute books had claimed the institute owed it about N57 million. Akindoyeni had declared that he was able to investigate and found out that the institute was not owing them and had written to tell them and since then has not heard from them.
Commenting on allegations that staff members were being awarded contracts, he denied the allegation contracts usually passed through a tender. He, however, challenged anybody with information that implicated any staff to come forward with such and he would take action. He had equally dismissed alleged fraud perpetrated at the senior executive tour, saying it was not possible as the rates were fixed and each person travelling on tour knew exactly what was due to him.
On the award of contract for electronic network when the institute had the capacity to do the job, the DG explained that he was the one that employed the staff who later did the job at a far reduced rate from what other contractors quoted. He said when the job was offered, one contractor said he was going to do it for N14 million while another quoted N12 million.
But Akindoyeni said he was lucky to discover that one of the participants at the course, an IT specialist from the Air force willing to do the job at a minimal cost. He approached him and the man (Zakka) went and inspected what was on ground and said he could do it for less than N4 million, which was offered to him and the job was done. He said later the man was retired from the Air Force and he brought him on board to handle the IT at the institute.
Dismissing insinuations that contracts were split and did not follow due process, Akindoyeni said that it was not possible to split contracts. He had claimed that all contracts awarded by NIPSS had passed through due process. On allegations that management staff were in the habit of taking bribes to some members of the National Assembly and other relevant agencies in the discharge of their delegated function, the former NIPSS boss said that there was no need for such, as members of the National Assembly were always at the institute to carry out their oversight functions.
Akindoyeni had equally debunked allegations of overdraft obtained and said the NIPSS once obtained such facility to pay his staff when the salary for a particular month was being delayed. He described that as a normal practice for any sensitive management so that the staff may not be made to go through unnecessary hardship.
He had also denied claim that theft was a regular trend in the institute. Akindoyeni had recalled that only particular period when he learned that some people scaled the fence and broke the store. He confirmed that the police had arrested some of the suspects and since then such an incident had not happened again. He said there was adequate security to check theft from the store as all vehicles leaving the premises were regularly checked.
There is no doubt that the sacking of Akindoyeni as boss of NIPSS may as well pave the way for a full blown investigation into how the professor ran the affairs of the college in the past four years. But with Sankey holding forte as boss, not many would be convinced that government would get to the root of the problem.
Northerners have been called upon to emulate the good virtues of the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, in order to move the region and tackle the challenges of development for the region and the country at large 
