Why is Buhari Retaining Bala at Energy Commission?

Eleven days after the workers of the Energy Commission of Nigeria staged a protest against the Director-General of the commission, Prof. Jidere Bala and publicly petitioned the EFCC over alleged misappropriation of funds by Bala, the ECN DG is still sitting comfortably in his office. Prior to this protest, Bala had his tenure renewed for another five years despite alleged monumental corruption in the agency.

The ECN staff, who took the action under the aegis of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, delivered a written petition to the EFCC in Abuja. Promise Chukwu, who led the workers, alleged that Bala mismanaged international-donor-funded projects under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and another $1 million Lake Chad Basin project funded by Africa Development Bank. “Similarly, millions of Naira have been budgeted and squandered under the National Energy Data Project,” alleged the workers.

Stories of monumental corruption under a government that claims to be fighting corruption often leave me depressed. The allegations against the ECN boss are frightening. More so, they are coming from insiders i.e. the staff of the commission. Bala, as a public servant, ought to have been directed to step aside in the spirit of the anti-corruption posture of this government. Unfortunately, Buhari has rewarded him with fresh five-year tenure, while refusing to look at the petition against him. Even the EFCC has not deemed it proper to invite Bala. The petition must be resting in the trash can. What a country!