March 07, (THEWILL) – The coalition of Civil Society Organisations under the aegis of Nigerian Centre for Transparency and Accountability Network and Eagle Eye Forum For Transparency And Human Development, has accused the Bureau for Public Procurement (BPP), of shielding corrupt officials.
The Group, in a petition to the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, described the BPP as the highest corruption den of the century and a safe haven for every corrupt public official.
Dated March 7 and Signed by its President, Comr. Zakari Hashim, the Coalition particularly fingered the Director General of the Bureau of shielding the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, trade and investment, Mrs Evelyn Ngige, from prosecution.
It alleged that Mrs Ngige, who was indicted by the Nigerian Police Force for contravening the procurement act, section 21 and Section 58(4) (d)(5) of public procurement act, was sighted at the BPP on Friday, “lobbying a soft landing.”
A copy of the petition, seen by THEWILL, reads: “We received with utmost dismay the news of the continuous shielding of corrupt government officials by the helmsman in the Bureau for Public Procurement.
“It has come to our notice that despite public outcry to the Director General BPP on the abuse of the procurement act by top public officers, which the recent among them is the Permanent Secretary ministry of Industry, trade and investment, Mrs Evelyn Ngige.
“She was sighted on Friday, at the office of the bureau for public procurement on Friday lobbying a soft landing.
“It may interest you to know that Mrs Evelyn Ngige was indicted by the Nigerian Police Force for contravening the procurement act, section 21 and Section 58(4) (d)(5) of public procurement act.
“This matter was brought to the attention of the Director, but to our greatest shock, the aforementioned issue is yet to receive positive consideration.
“The continuous ravelling of issues of such magnitude has left us with no option than to conclude that the Bureau for Public Procurement has remain the highest corruption den of the century and a safe heaven for every corrupt public official.
“We call on the director General to retract his step or we would not hesitate to further expose him to the general public.”
