Communications Minister suspends agency DG indefinitely

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January 21, 2016 11:23 AM

This was contained in a statement by the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media Affairs, Mr. Victor Oluwadamilare, released on Wednesday.

Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shittu

According to various media reports, the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, has suspended the director general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr. Peter Jack, for “misconduct unbecoming of a public officer of his cadre.”

This was contained in a statement by the Special Assistant to the Minister on Media Affairs, Mr. Victor Oluwadamilare, released on Wednesday.

“The indefinite suspension became imperative on the strength of deluge of petitions regarding several alleged wrong-doings in NITDA and subsequent preliminary findings of an investigative committee set up by the Ministry,” the statement said, according to report by Premium Times.

The suspension, which takes effect from January 20, 2015, came about due to some infractions identified by an investigative committee made up of three senior officials of the ministry, including illegal recruitment of staff totaling 245 within 7 months.

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“As at 29th May, 2015, NITDA only had a staff complement of 74.”

“But from May, 2015 to 31st December, 2015, additional 245 staff were employed in questionable circumstances, despite clear instruction from the ministry directing suspension of employment in the agency,” the statement read, quoting from the committee’s report.

Allegations of financial misdemeanor against Mr. Jack would also require a more professional auditing of NITDA’s finances, according to the committee.

In the meantime, Mr. Vincent Olatunji, director of corporate strategy and research at the agency has been named as acting DG.

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