In a move signaling a firm stance against financial impropriety, President Bola Tinubu has wielded the executive axe, suspending the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Electrification Agency, Ahmad Salihijo, along with three of the agency’s Executive Directors. This decision, born out of a comprehensive investigation into the financial affairs of the Rural Electrification Agency, was unveiled in a statement from the State House and signed by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, on Thursday.
Under the headline ‘President Tinubu Suspends Rural Electrification Agency Managing Director and Team from Office,’ the statement disclosed the indefinite suspension of Salihijo and the Executive Directors: Olaniyi Netufo (Corporate Services), Barka Sajou (Technical Services) and Sa’adatu Balgore (Rural Electrification Fund).
Prompted by allegations of fraudulent expenditure totaling over N1.2 billion in the past two years, Tinubu has mandated a broader probe into the conduct of these officials. As Ngelale divulged, anti-graft agencies have recouped some of the misappropriated funds.
In response to these findings, Tinubu has appointed an interim management team to helm the agency. The newly appointed officials tasked with steering the agency include Abba Aliyu as Acting Managing Director/CEO, Ayoade Gboyega as Acting Executive Director, Corporate Services, Umar Umar as Acting Executive Director, Technical Services, Doris Uboh as Acting Executive Director, Rural Electrification Fund, and Olufemi Akinyelure as Acting Head of Project Management Unit for the Nigeria Electrification Project.
Emphasizing a commitment to transparency and accountability, President Tinubu underscores the expectation that all government appointees uphold the highest governance standards. He reiterates his unwavering dedication to fulfilling Nigerians’ aspirations for good governance and superior service delivery, transcending individual interests in favor of collective progress.
This decisive action underscores the government’s unwavering stance against corruption, affirming the administration’s pledge to ensure integrity and accountability among those entrusted with pivotal roles in serving the Nigerian populace.
