President Bola Tinubu has approved the indefinite suspension of the Managing Director/CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, alongside three Executive Directors of the agency, indefinitely.
A presidential statement announcing the decision said it was “in the light of new findings unearthed during a comprehensive investigation into the financial activities of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA)”.
The presidential statement was signed by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale on Thursday.
Suspended alongside the MD/CEO of REA were: Olaniyi Alaba Netufo — Executive Director, Corporate Services; Barka Sajou — Executive Director, Technical Services; and Sa’adatu Balgore — Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund (REF).
Tinubu has also ordered a wider investigation into the conduct of the suspended officials in a “fraudulent misexpenditure amounting to over N1.2 billion over the past two years, some of which has already been recovered by anti-graft agencies”, Ngelale said.
“By the directive of the President, the following qualified Nigerians are appointed to serve in the new management team of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) in acting capacity with immediate effect: Abba Abubakar Aliyu — Managing Director/CEO, Ayoade Gboyega — Executive Director, Corporate Services, Umar Abdullahi Umar — Executive Director, Technical Services, Doris Uboh — Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund (REF), and Olufemi Akinyelure — Head of Project Management Unit, Nigeria Electrification Project,” the statement further read.
Ngelale said the president expects all appointees in his administration to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability in the discharge of their duties and reiterates his determination to elevate the yearnings of Nigerians for good governance and qualitative service delivery above the narrow interests of individuals who are entrusted to provide critical services to the Nigerian people.