Delta Gov. Oborevwori, Suspends Agric Commissioner, Omoun, Perm Sec, Others Over N280m Alleged Fraud
Hon. Omoun Perekebena Perez
Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon.Sheriff Oborewori has suspended the
Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon. Omoun Perekebena Perez over alleged N280 million fraud.
The Governor also asked Messrs Bennett Ezon-Abode Agamah, Permanent Secretary; Engr. Oki Preowei Yintareke, Assistant Director, Agricultural Engineering and Mr. Gabriel Idiatacheko, Chief Accountant to to proceed on compulsory leave until further notice in line with Civil Service extant rules.
According to a statement sighted by NATIONAL WAVES, this will enable a committee set up the Governor to investigate and review the implementation of the Greenhouse project by the State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Governor Oborevwori constituted a seven man committee chaired by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Kingsley Emu to investigate the claims and perceived infractions related to the management of the scheme by the Ministry.
A statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Kingsley Emu, reads “consequent upon the interim report of the committee and in other to have an unimpeded access to information during the period of the investigations, the Governor, Rt. Hon. Elder Sheriff F.O Oborevwori has approved the immediate suspension of Hon. Omoun Perekebena Perez, Hon. Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, while Messrs Bennett Ezon-Abode Agamah, Permanent Secretary; Engr. Oki Preowei Yintareke, Assistant Director, Agricultural Engineering and Mr. Gabriel Idiatacheko, Chief Accountant are to proceed on compulsory leave until further notice in line with Civil Service extant rules”
The statement further added that “the government’s action is in no way a presumption of guilt but rather a necessary measure to uphold the sanctity of the investigative processes already instituted which is to ensure that the investigation is conducted without any potential for undue influence or bias”
It would be recalled that the
Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resource, Omoun Perekebena Perez, the Permanent Secretary, Ben Agamah and some others in the ministry were accused of illegally transferring N280 million meant for agricultural programmes to a private account.
This violates the Public Procurement Act
Raising the alarm, sources in the ministry squealed that the N280 million was illegally transferred in tranches and to a private account by the commissioner in connivance with the permanent secretary.
Sources revealed that the money was meant for an agricultural programme called ‘Accelerated Agricultural Development Scheme (AADS)’.
According to report, the N280 million was illegally transferred into the private account of one Engineer Oki in three tranches.
The commissioner was alleged to have connived with his permanent secretary to illegally transferred the money into the private account of Engineer Oki. N100 million was first transferred in the first tranche, the second tranche was N80 million and the third tranche was N100 million making the N280 million.
