According to the petition signed by HEDA's Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, the MDAs are accused of violating the Nigeria Financial Regulations, 2009, by channelling public funds into personal accounts and conducting dubious transactions.
The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has submitted a petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), calling for an investigation into several Nigerian Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) over alleged financial irregularities.
According to the petition signed by HEDA's Chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, the MDAs are accused of violating the Nigeria Financial Regulations, 2009, by channelling public funds into personal accounts and conducting dubious transactions.
The allegations surfaced after an investigative report by The Investigator, an online media outlet, revealed that multiple MDAs had engaged in practices that contravene Chapter 7, Section 713 of the Nigeria Financial Regulations.
The report implicated a number of MDAs, including the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, and several others.
According to the petition, the Federal Polytechnic, Ngodo Isuochi, Abia State, was cited for questionable financial transactions in December 2023.
The institution allegedly disbursed substantial sums for office equipment, with payments made to individuals such as Drisu Ndalami Ibrahim, Ezenuruihe Ifeyinwa Olachi, and Ndubuisi Paul Darlington, among others. These payments, totalling tens of millions of naira, were made within a short span of time, raising suspicions of financial impropriety.
Other MDAs highlighted in the petition include the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, which reportedly paid large sums to several individuals in 2018 to promote the patronage of made-in-Nigeria products.
Additionally, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta was accused of disbursing N85 million for meeting logistics with stakeholders and camp leaders, alongside other suspicious transactions.
The petition also detailed alleged misconduct in Akwa Ibom State, where funds were reportedly mismanaged under the guise of organising stakeholders' workshops.
Similarly, the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta was implicated in the payment of millions of naira for various administrative advances and logistics, with little transparency in the disbursements.
HEDA's petition emphasised the severity of public service corruption in Nigeria, highlighting its detrimental impact on governance and the provision of public services. The organization urged the ICPC to conduct a thorough investigation in line with Sections 16 and 17 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, with the goal of prosecuting those responsible, including the heads of the implicated MDAs.
HEDA Resource Centre expressed concern over the integrity of the civil service and the federation at large. The organisation stressed the need for stricter oversight and enforcement to curb corruption within the public sector, thereby ensuring that public funds are used for the benefit of the Nigerian people.
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