The management of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has debunks media reports that the 2017 Budget estimates for the Agency is under intense probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The denial came following a petition by Muhammad Yusuf and Rebecca Emeleogwu, representing Good Governance and Accountability Monitoring Group to anti-graft agencies alleging that the management of NITDA has by-passed due process in the award of contracts in the 2017 budget. But in a statement signed by its Head Corporate Affairs and External Relations, Mrs Hadiza Umar, the Agency stressed that it did not circumvent due process in the implementation of the 2017 approved Budget, adding that the provisions of the law was strictly adhered to.
Making more clarifications, the statement stated that the Agency is not under any investigation under the either by EFCC or any other investigating agency. It maintained that the statement credited to the Honourable Minister of Communications, Barrister Adebayo Shittu, during an interview with Fresh FM Ibadan on Sunday, 5th November, 2017, where he allegedly affirmed the probe as untrue. According to the statement, “The Agency under the leadership of Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, only received commendation from the EFCC.
“The Agency, since assumption of office of the current Director General/CEO, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, has been making serious efforts at fighting corrupt practices within and outside the Agency. “It is on record that in this effort to ensure transparency and accountability, the current Director-General is the only Chief Executive in history of the Agency that implemented almost 100 percent of the Auditor-General for the Federation’s audit recommendations regarding financial and other irregularities in the Agency.
“As a man of proven integrity who is in the forefront of supporting Mr President’s fight against corruption, the Director General sought the support of anti-corruption Agencies such as the EFCC and ICPC in fighting corruption in IT Procurements in Federal Government’s Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).
“It may be of interest to note that officials from the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation visited the Agency recently and gave an excellent commendation to the Director General and the Management Team for their efforts at following due process as well as excellent documentation of all financial transactions. “It is on record that the 2017 projects are yet to be advertised and so far no contract has been awarded in the Agency because of the Director-General’s efforts at ensuring that due process is followed in the award of contracts,” Lawal emphasized.
