Alleged diversion of N280m: Delta suspends agric commissioner, chief accountant, others

DELTA State government, yesterday, suspended the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Omoun Perekebena Perez, while Permanent Secretar y, Mr Bennett Ezon- Abode Agamah, Assi stant Director , Agricultural Engineering, Oki Preowei Yintareke, and, Chief Accountant, Gabriel Idiatacheko, were directed to proceed on compulsor y leave over alleged diversion of N280 million Greenhouse projects of the ministry into private account.

The Guardian learnt that the N280 million was allegedly transferred into the private account of one Oki, an engineer in three tranches of N100 million, N80 million and N100 million, respectively.

Apparently disturbed by the alleged diversion of the government funds, Governor Sheriff Oborevweri constituted a seven- man committee to immediately wade into the matter, considering that the act is totally against the civil service rules and the financial regulations policy of Nigeria.

The committee, chaired by the Secretary to the State Government ( SSG), Dr . Kingsley Emu, is to in vestigate the claims and perceived infractions related to the management of the funds by those involved.

According to a statement signed by the SSG, which was made a vailable to The Guardian in Asaba, yesterday, Oborevwori approved the immediate suspension of Perez, while Agamah, Yintareke and Idiatacheko are to proceed on compulsory leave until further notice in line with civil service extant rules.

It added that the government's action was in no way "presumption of guilt, but a necessary measure to uphold the sanctity of the investigative processes already instituted, which is to ensure that the investigation is conducted without any potential for undue influence or bias."