Economic Confidential

The Director General, National Centre for Technology Management will this week face trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal for allegedly recruiting over 60 percent of his staff from a particular section of the country.

The Tribunal chaired by Justice Danladi Umar would commence the trials of other public officers for non-declarations of assets as well as other corrupt practices.

The Economic Confidential gathered that Dr. Willie O. Siyanbola, the Director General of the agency contravened the federal character principle of the 1999 Constitution and has been recommended for prosecution by the Code of Conduct Bureau.

This is one of the various trials that will run between September 11 and 15, which also include the arraignment of the Provost, Federal College of Education, Kontagora, Dr. Nathaniel Olaitan Odediran accused of abuse of manipulating the award of contract procedures in favour of certain companies.
According to details obtained by our rorrespondent, the Provost allegedly forced his Director of Works to award contractsworth over N150 to crony companies in contravention of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act.

In addition, Emil Lemke Inyang, a former Chairman of Biase Local Government council will be tried for being a member of an illegal cult group.

Inyang is being accused of being a member of the National Association of Buccanneers, which membership is incompatible with the functions and dignity of his office.

Another case due for hearing include the one involving one Barrister Ikechukwu Ozor, who was said to have engaged in private legal practice while still in full time employment of the Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ESUBEB).

Former Vice Chairman of Biu local Government council of Borno State Muhammed Tukur Aliyu is another person who will be prosecuted for receiving double salary by not resigning from the Primary Healthcare Department of the council, thereby collecting double remuneration from government.
Another category of offenders will be charged for failing to declare their assets as required by the law upon entering public office.

These include Rasheed Owolabi Taiwo a retired Comptroller of the Nigerian Customs Service and Dauda Ashige an Assistant Comptroller of Nigerian Customs Service.

Similarly Aliyu Umar Santuraki, former Special Assistant to Governor of Nasarawa State is also to appear before the tribunal for failing to declare his asset within the prescribed period of three month after receiving Asset Declaration Form.

However, Economic Confidential findings revealed that some of the cases might have been maliciously instituted as a result of political rivalry between the accused and the petitioners.