N119 Billion Financial Misappropriation: Buhari Orders The Probe Of Perm Sec

By Akinwale Kasali

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Mohammed Bello, is in big trouble.

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered his immediate probe over an alleged misappropriation of a whopping sum of N119 billion, traced to him while he was the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. He is being accused of financial misconduct, hence the order for his immediate probe.

In line with the order, a query dated May 11, 2020, has been issued to him by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan, who wrote that the attention of the President has been drawn to alleged several misconducts by the Permanent Secretary, and the President’s order of his immediate Probe.

Bello was accused of not paying eligible contractors despite the budgetary release of N98 billion to the Ministry of Agriculture in 2018. He was, also, alleged to have used the entire 2019 first-quarter release of N7 billion to pay for the 2018 contracts that were already funded.

The query reads:

“The attention of Mr. President has been drawn to the acts of serious misconduct against you in your former post as the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on which he has given further directive.

“Specifically, it was alleged that in spite of the budgetary release of the N98,405,763,678.68 in 2018 (which represents 99.44 of 2018 appropriation), you did not take necessary action to pay the eligible contractors which led to the Ministry having an outstanding contractual liability in the sum 0f N48,429,543,895.72.

“Under your leadership as the Accounting Officer, the Ministry utilised the entire 2019 first-quarter release of N7,737,208,135.18 to pay for the 2018 contracts that were fully funded in 2018 which constitutes virement without authority.

“As Accounting Officer, you oversaw a transaction for the purchase of a building for the use of the Ministry at the sum of N7,044,746,264.06 without the conduct of the mandatory statutory structural and mechanical integrity tests; and prior approval of the FCDA Public Building Department; the building was eventually found to be an uncompleted carcass requiring billions of Naira to complete and make safe for occupation.

“Under your watch as the Accounting Officer, the Ministry procured seven deep drilling rigs for borehole at an average cost of N300,000,000.00 without recourse to the Federal Executive Council.

“And in April 2019, you gave out the seven rigs procured at over N1.3 billion to some individuals under fraudulent arrangements, without the approval of the Minister; and one of the rigs linked to you is yet to be returned despite several written reminders; and you misplaced the intervention funds approved for the purchase of strategic grains and the establishment of the Rural Grazing Area Settlements in violation of extant Financial Regulations.”

At the time of writing this, the magazine could not confirm if Dr. Bello has been placed under suspension. But in the Civil Service Rule, he would be given the chance to defend himself.

If his defence to the query is not satisfactory, and does not exculpate him, he is most likely to undergo an intense investigation which could mark an end to his career.