Stakeholders in the building sector under the name Concerned Building Sector Stakeholders of Nigeria (CBSSN) have asked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to probe the alleged mismanagement of the sum of N30million granted the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) under N-Power programme disbursed by the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
They said the grant, which was meant to support the professional builders body’s skill acquisition programme, was mismanaged by the leadership of NIOB without transparent accountability.
This was contained in a petition dated February 12, 2024, received and acknowledged by the office of the president dated same day at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and signed by Ayodele Ade, Coordinator; Ibrahim Saidu, Secretary and; Angela C. G. as Treasurer.
The petitioners said they are supporters of the president’s reform against the massive corruption in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development.
They alleged that NIOB, apart from allegedly diverting and mismanaging the grant, is currently illegally constructing a huge facility in the name of skill acquisition centre along the Lugbe – Airport Road withouts the approval of the building plan by Development Control of tye Federal Capital Development Administration (FCDA).
The petitioners also alleged in the petition sighted by our correspondent that NIOB, as a non-governmental organisation, is operating a limited liability company called Quion through which the body uses to get contracts from government agencies and parastatals, an act they described as illegal according to law.
“Is it legal for a non-governmental organisation to operate a limited liability company and get contracts from government?” the petition asked.
Other issues border on questionable collection of professional fees, allegation of using the skill acquisition centre “to defraud government agencies and donor agencies or personalities”.
They specifically asked the president to probe the alleged “corrupt, greedy, criminal, unprofessional and fraudulent activities of Nigerian Institute of Building, which must be urgently investigated, culprits among the officials arrested and duly prosecuted and the unprofessional acts stopped immediately in order to protect lives of innocent Nigerians, recover recover looted grants from government, monitor the activities of the body towards implementation of it’s statutory obligations among others”.
The petition also indicted some regulatory agencies in the building sectors such as the Development Control Abuja, Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) by alleging compromise in terms of effective regulations and supervisions.
They petitioners therefore asked President Tinubu to query the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), NSIPA, Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), CORBON, etc, and ask them to explain the actions they took or refuse to take in respect of the allegations.
