ICPC Launches Probe Into Permanent Secretary Over Alleged Diversion Of Tinubu-Approved Funds

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has launched an investigation into allegations that the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, Binyerem Ukaire, delayed the processing of payment files for agencies under the ministry.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The development comes two days after Premium Times reported that funds approved by President Bola Tinubu for the operations of several federal agencies had yet to be processed for disbursement.

The agencies affected include the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Voice of Nigeria (VON), News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

According to sources familiar with the matter, the funds had already received presidential approval but were allegedly held up at the ministry before they could be released.

The sources claimed that Ukaire declined to process the payment files after the heads of the affected agencies reportedly failed to comply with a request to make detailed presentations on their ongoing projects and the utilization of their allocations.

However, some agency officials and stakeholders reportedly questioned the request, arguing that it was inconsistent with established civil service procedures governing the relationship between supervising ministries and their parastatals.

They cited a circular issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), which they said limits the extent to which supervising ministries can interfere in the financial management of agencies that are accountable to their governing boards and supervising ministers.

The disagreement reportedly contributed to the prolonged delay in releasing the approved funds.

ICPC Questions Permanent Secretary, Agency Heads

Following the controversy, the ICPC reportedly invited Ukaire and the chief executives of the affected agencies for questioning as part of its investigation into the delayed payments.

According to sources, investigators sought explanations for why the payment files remained unprocessed despite the reported presidential approval.

Neither the Permanent Secretary nor the agency heads was detained after the questioning, sources familiar with the matter said.

The anti-corruption agency’s investigation is said to be ongoing.

Meanwhile, the matter appears to have taken a new turn, with reports indicating that Ukaire has now approved the outstanding payment files and forwarded them for the next stage of processing and disbursement.

When contacted on Saturday, the heads of some of the affected agencies confirmed that the files had been transmitted and were awaiting the final release of the approved funds into their respective accounts.