Some worker of the Transmission Company of Nigeria,TCN have asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC to probe the corruption allegation and abuse of power against the company’s General Manager,Project Coordinator,Engr. Joseph Almajiri.
The embattled workers in a letter written on their behalf by one Enr David Irmiya,specifically requested the anti-crimes commission to look at the petitions they wrote against Almajiri on July 27th,2022 and October 21st,2022 which were submitted to the Minister of Power.
The petitions bordered on Almajiri’s corrupt activities and the attempt to violate the Electric Power Sector Reform Act 2005(EPSR Act).
The workers’ new petition seeking EFCC’s involvement in the matter was dated November 30th,2022 and made available to Premium News at the weekend.
They implored the commission to thoroughly look at the petitions and take necessary action,because the Electric Power Sector Reform Act(EPSR Act) establishing the Transmission Company of Nigeria(TCN) is clear and unambiguous.
Almajiri couldn’t be reached for comment on the latest involvement of the EFCC in the matter.He reportedly told Voice of America,Hausa Service,recently that he would defend himself.
The embattled workers,had on July 27,2022,petitioned the Minister of Power,Engineer Abubakar Aliyu,over ploy by Almajiri to illegally create the office of Executive Director Project in contravention of the company’s structure and organogram.
They said there are only four four known executive directors in the company,namely: Transmission Service Provider,Independent Service Operator,Finance and Account and Human Resource and Capacity Building.
They said the move by the General Manager,Project Coordination,Engineer Joseph Ciroma Almajiri to buy his way for the creation of the Executive Director,Project,is unethical and grossly infringe on the Electric Power Reform Act 2005.
They posited that such action also violates the Federal Character Principle because Engineer Almajiri and the current Executive Director,Resource and Capacity Building,Mr.Justin Ishaya Dodo are from Kaduna,the workers said.
They alleged :”Furthermore,a committee set up by the former Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer to investigate Engineer Joseph Ciroma Almajiri found many anomalies in his activities on the project management unit .He is accused of collaborating with training consultants for kickbacks,including organizing training for his associates and himself,while the money(foreign currencies) will be collected,but the training are not attended.This is pure corruption training and against work ethics.
“We are calling on the Minister of Power to,as a matter of urgency,intervene intervene to stop the illegal move,because if left to materialize,it will send a wrong signal to the power sector that anyone can buy his way to get any position even if it violates the EPSR Act and the Federal Character Principles,including natural justice”
In another petition dated October 2,0th,2022, the workers had implored the Minister of Power,Engineer Abubakar Aliyu to set up an independent investigation committee that would look into corruption allegation against Almajiri.
They reasoned that the development was necessary in order to look at the allegations with a view to clearing Ciroma’s name from the accusations and safeguard the integrity of the Transmission Company of Nigeria,TCN
They accused Almajiri of collaborating with training consultants for kickbacks contrary to 5th schedule of the 1999 Nigerian constitution which prohibits a public officer from accepting property or benefits of any kind for himself in the discharge of his duties.
They also accused the General Manager,Project Coordination,of organizing training for his associates and himself against to any government policy section 9 and 10 of the ICPC Act which also defines the act as corruption.
They said Almajiri allegedly collected monies for training and didn’t attend same which makes him liable to sections 8,9,10 and 11 of the ICPC Act as well as section 46 of the EFCC Act.
The workers added:”And recently,it was alleged that in collaboration with the Procurement Coordinator for AFDB/TCN and TTL Team Task Lead for AFDB TCN project on the contract Lot 2 construction of new 330k Mando/Kaduna to Rimin Zakara/Kano 204km double Circuit Quad Conductor Transmissy Lines.He negotiated with a Chinese and knocked Transtrall Lighting Limited(which has more experience and offered the lowest price),hence they went against the recommended bidder by the evaluation committee.It was alleged that he was promised 1.5mUSD”
The workers said the action of Almajiri contravened all the Nigerian laws,including all the laws of natural justice.
