Group accuses NCWD DG, of massive Corruption

*Says she paid N1.8 Billion  for non executed contracts 

An Abuja based Anti Corruption Campaign group, Anti -Corruption Surveillanc (ACS), has accused the leadership of the National Center for Woman Development (NCWD),  of massive Corruption, abuse of office and diversion of public funds with its fragrant volition of the Public Procurement  Act in the award of contracts by the Agency. 

The Center, which was  established by the federal government primarily, as a resource  center for training and empowerment of women and youths in various skills  across the country, is alleged to have become a conduit  pipe  for siphoning public funds by the  Director -General ,National Center for Women Development, Mrs. Mary Ekpere-Eta.
In a six paged petition to the Director General, Bureau of Public Procurement, BPP, and copied Economics and Financial Crime Commissions,EFCC, Independent corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, among other relevant bodies,  the anti corruption  group  accused the Director General of   fraudulently awarding Multi -million Naira contracts to herself, through proxies. 
In the petition ,dated 15th May, 2020, signed by  Dr. Patrick Ugoye, and  made available to our correspondent, the group  accused  Mrs. Mary Ekwpere -Eta of violating  public procurement rules and extent regulations in the award of slush contracts  to cronies without following due process. 
Sighting specifics instances of a currpt- driven acts in the Commission, Anti-Curruption Surveillance. stated that, the Director -General bluntly ignored advises from relevant and competent  Procurement staff and illegally purchased three( 3)  ,luxurious  vehicles valued at over hundred million. for personal use.
The  exotics  vehicles ,a Lexus Jeep, 2019 model, a new Toyota land Cruiser, and a Toyota Hilux were fraudulently bought this year, under the pretext of executing capital projects in the 2019 Appropriation of the organization. 
Similarly ,ACS also alleged that, the Director General perpetuated  corrupt act, and enriched herself by authorising and ensuring payments  of N 1.8billion naira for non executed contracts to some companies in the 2019 budgetary allocation. According to the group, under the current leadership at the commission, huge sums of money are paid on non executed  contracts, and reports of such illegality are concocted by some directors and key procurement officials she brought to the commission from a other government agencies to cover up such frauds  and diversion of public funds.
“There is a serious, total disregard of the Procurement standard procedures in the procurement process of the National Center for Women Development, and this has been going on since the current Director -General came on board. Anything call illegality  is the practice at the Commission and that is why the Commission has never been audited for its procurement activities. The procedure has been bastardized and hijacked, whilst the procurement Audit Report wouldn’t be forwarded to the Bureau of Public Procurement as required by law. Contracts are being awarded to the selected contractors at will with total disregard to the procurement proceedings. ” It emphasised. 
 Continued: “It is also, mind-boggling that the Contracts that were awarded in 2018 and 2019 were not executed at all, yet, payments were all effected to these selected Contractors. For instance, in 2019 alone, the sum of N 1.8 Billion were appropriated and  releasees were 100 percent, but the funds were diverted. “
The Non -Governmental anti -Curruption organisation said it’s deeply worried and saddened by the vicious fraudulent activities which constitute an abuse of public trust, going on in the commission and further accused the Director General of living above her legitimate earnings with her recent purchase of multi million naira choices  property in Abuja and Ikom respectively. 
While calling on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commissions and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission as well as the Bureau of Public Procurement to  investigate the sleazy  in the NCWD, the group urged them not to hesitate in punishing  key officials of the commission found culpable   of aiding the leadership in perpetuating fraud , misapplication , abuse of public trust and out -right diversion of public funds. 
Mrs. Mary Ekwpere- Eta is also accuse of maladministration and exhibition of high level  impunity by rendering redundant,   thoroughly breed procurement staff who are averse to her penchant for abuse of processes  in awards of contracts by sending them on an indefinite  leave.
It will be recall that, Mrs. Ekpere -Eta was suspended after the Commission’s board found her guilty of  corrupt activities, but was reinstated   to the commission owing to her regular boasts  of being connected.