Daniel Onjeh, ex-Chairman of Project Development Institute (PRODA)
Having critically observed the ongoing accusations by Daniel Onjeh against Project Development Institute (PRODA), National Assembly, Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) and Federal Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation. The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria (COCSON) decided to embark on an independent findings to unravel the truth behind the brickbat.
FINDINGS
1) That sequel to numerous allegations levelled against the Former Board Chairman of PRODA, Mr Daniel Onjei by the Management of PRODA and Contractors and the accusations against the former Director General of PRODA by Dr Daniel Onjeh and other former members of the Governing Board of PRODA, the then Director General, Dr Charles Agulana, was suspended and Daniel Onjeh was also asked to step aside by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) pending the outcome of the findings of the investigation.
2) It is important to highlight here that the Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (FMSTI) never asked these persons to step aside but were ordered to do so by the President through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of The Federation (OSGF).
3) That the most senior officer of PRODA Dr Okonkwo, with no pending disciplinary matter was asked by the Minister of Science Technology and Innovation to take over as the Over Seeing Director General in accordance with SGF Circular, SGF 50/S. 11/C/268 dated 4th December 2017.3)
4) That Dr Okonkwo thereafter resumed as the overseeing DG while the Board amongst its members nominated one of them to act as the Chairman since their then Chairman Mr Onjeh was asked to step aside by the OSGF to give room for a transparent investigation being Carried out by the Federal Government.
5) That the FMSTI respecting the principle of fair hearing, never interfered with the activities of PRODA while the investigation was ongoing.
6) That while this investigation was still on, the tenure of the Governing Board of PRODA expired and President Buhari approved a new Governing Board Chairman and other members but did not return Daniel Onjeh. Also, the new Governing Board was inaugurated with other Federal Government Boards by the Minister on the 14th of October, 2021.
7) That sequel to the inauguration of this new board on the 14th of October, 2021, Dr Fabian Okonkwo who is merely the overseeing DG (not substantial DG) refused to call for an inaugural meeting.
8) That several attempts made by the new Governing Board to meet according to their duties and functions were scuttled by the Dr Okonkwo with objectionable reasons and at the same time, the Academic Staff Union allegedly wrote letters stating that he is still reporting to former Governing Board Members.
9) That this inordinate attitude frustrating the inaugural meeting of the Board by Dr Okonkwo prompted the New Board to write several letters to the FMSTI requesting for his suspension.
10) That instead of suspending the Overseeing Director General (Dr. Okonkwo) the Hon Minister in his wisdom sought for Fair Hearing and forwarded all the allegations and resolutions of the Governing Board to Dr Fabian Okonkwo and asked him to hold Board meeting with the new Governing Board to clear all the allegations against him.
11) That Dr Okonkwo yet resisted the board her legitimate the inaugural meeting, even when it was brought to his knowledge and attention that letters had been written to the FMSTI against the gross misconducts.
12) That on the 29th of December, 2021, another letter was written to Dr. Fabian Okonkwo to convene a Board meeting not later than 10th January, 2022 about 87 days after the Board was inaugurated by the Minister.
13) That while all these refusal to call the inaugural meeting of the Board was going on, the FMSTI was as well overwhelmed by several petitions against Dr Okonkwo by Contractors and Academic Staff Union of Research Institutes and the same time, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) indicted the Management of PRODA led by Dr FABIAN Okonkwo in their Audit report.
14) That after 90 days (3 months) of the inauguration of the new Board and the refusal of Dr Okonkwo to convoke the Board’s inaugural meeting, PRODA suffered so much backlog, because of Dr Okonkwo’s inordinate attitude that denied the Board the possibility of converging to discourse pressing issues.
15) That when the investigation Panel turned in their report to the FMSTI and retired Dr Charles Agulana , the minister directed the Permanent Secretary to set up an implementation committee on the Directives of Mr President, and actually gave the committee one week for the implementation.
16) That the FMSTI had gone out of his way to personally request that Dr Okonkwo calls for the inaugural meeting of the Board to enable the Governing Board implement Mr. President’s Directives, yet, Dr. Okonkwo refused to honour the request of the Ministry.
17) That this gross misconducts, indiscipline and insubordination to the FMSTI coupled with the several petitions necessitated the need for him to step aside for transparency and fairness and the next most senior officer to him, Dr Arit Etukudo took over as the new overseeing Director General as stipulated in the SGF circular, paragraph 3.15)
18) That the stepping aside of Dr Okonkwo and his replacement by Dr Arit Etukudo was immediately confirmed by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
19) That Mr. Dan Onjei has no legal status to question the powers of the President to hire and fire.
20) That after Mr. Dan Onjei was ordered to step aside as Board Chairman of PRODA by OSGF and was never recalled back till the expiration of the tenure, rather than concentrating on other meaningful projects, he has continued to cause crisis and confusion in PRODA and insisting that Dr. Fabian Okonkwo must remain an Overseeing Director General.
21) That one may wonder what are the primary interest, what he wants to achieve and motives of a man who claims he wants the best for the government and resulting to supporting gross misconducts, insubordination, contract-splitting, misappropriation of funds as alleged and full backing to those who wish to embezzle and scuttle PRODA.
22) That one may wonder why a Dan Onjei who was ordered to step aside by SGF and never recalled back till the expiration of the tenure, result to media campaign and misinforming the general public against PRODA and the FMSTI without mentioning the weighty allegations against him by contractors and staff that led the SGF to stepped him aside as the Board Chairman.
23) That COCSON can authoritatively state that the present actions by disgruntled elements to malign the person of the HM, FMSTI is targeted at 2023.
24) May we also use this opportunity to inform the world that the issue of Dr C. Igwe, the former Overseeing Director General of FIIRO who Daniel Onjeh Claims that he does not have a PhD is a matter for the court to decide, but it is pertinent to note that our investigation revealed that:
I. The crisis of Dr Chima Igwe’s certificate has something to do with who becomes the Director General of FIIRO and began through a faceless petition by non-existent “FIIRO Staff” named “Segun Ajayi”, acting on behalf of a group name “ARISE GROUP” in FIIRO that wrote to the FIIRO Governing Board, copying ICPC, alleging that the Ph.D of Dr Chima Igwe was fake or fraudulent.
II. In response to the above allegation, the FIIRO Governing Board wrote to the Universited’Abomey-Calavi, Benin Republic through the Nigerian Embassy in Benin Republic requesting for a verification of the Ph.D certificate and access to his official transcript. This letter is available for inspection.
III. The Universited’Abomey-Calavi, Benin Republic replied on the verification of certificate request and further sent his academic records through the same Embassy of Nigeria in Benin Republic which wrote to FIIRO Governing Board vacating and proving the allegations to be wrong and false. Relevant records are available.
IV. The FIIRO Governing Board acknowledged the receipt of the letter from Embassy of Nigeria, Benin Republic “of the verified Ph.D certificate of Mr. C.C. Igwe transmitted by the Abomey-Calavi University, Republic of Benin” via a letter dated 1st April, 2019 and signed by the then Director-General/CEO, FIIRO, Prof. G.N. Elemo (Secretary, Governing Board, FIIRO). The letter is available.
V. This matter was also taken to ICPC by FMSTI for investigation and in a letter dated 11th September, 2019, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Chima Igwe was cleared of the allegations of holding and forging a Ph.D certificate. The letter is also, available.
VI. That ICPC concluded in their letter of clearance of Dr Chima Igwe: “Consequently, allegation that he forged his Ph.D Certificate was not substantiated as it is found that he obtained all his certificates in accordance with laid down procedure.”
VII. That the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) confirmed that the Ph.D certificate in chemistry awarded to Dr Chima Igwe in 3rd July, 2002, is equivalent to a doctorate degree awarded by any Nigerian university in a similar field of study.
VIII. That Dr Chima Cartney Igwe obtained his First Degree with First class Honours from Universitry of Nigeria Nsukka and also a Masters Degree from University of Lagos with CGPA of 3.46
IX. That Dr. Igwe was the most senior staff FIIRO and the most qualified at the time her predecessor retired and he took over the leadership of FIIRO.
X. That Dr. Igwe has eight (8) PATENT (An Intellectual Property that gives him ownership of specialization/professionalization and the legal right for practice) and earned him qualification above his equals, at the time of his appointment.
25) It is important to note that Dan Onjei who was the Governing Board Chairman is expected to know that the responsibility (PRODA) is research and development while the investors commercialize.
26) It is on record that at least two (2) companies are now manufacturing pencils in Nigeria as a result of research work going on in PRODA. Local raw materials have been identified for pencil production in Nigeria. This was not the case in 2015 when this administration came into power.
27) That as an independent organisation devoid of any sentiment and partisanship, we make bold to say that this whole charade is baseless and without substance hence we call on Nigerians to disregard such shenanigans.
28) That COCSON challenges Mr. Onjei to release the so called proofs he has (if any)
Signed
Engr Tijani Ali Danjuma
Executive Secretary
