Tinubu Suspends Rural Electrificatiin Agency MD, Ahmad Salihijo, Three Others

Ahmad Salihijo Ahmad, the Managing Director and CEO of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), and three of the Agency’s Executive Directors have been placed under suspension by President Bola Tinubu.

The suspended officials are Sa’adatu Balgore, who is in charge of the Rural Electrification Fund (REF), Barka Sajou, who is in charge of Technical Services, and Olaniyi Alaba Netufo, who is in charge of Corporate Services.

In an official statement, it was disclosed, “President Tinubu has directed a comprehensive investigation into the conduct of the mentioned officials, relating to fraudulent misexpenditure totaling over N1.2 billion over the past two years. Some of these funds have already been recovered by anti-graft agencies.”

President Tinubu nominated five eligible Nigerians to the agency’s new management team in an acting capacity following the suspension. The appointments include Doris Uboh as the Executive Director of the Rural Electrification Fund (REF), Olufemi Akinyelure as the Head of the Project Management Unit for the Nigeria Electrification Project, Umar Abdullahi Umar as the Executive Director of Technical Services, Ayoade Gboyega as the Executive Director of Corporate Services, and Abba Abubakar Aliyu as the new Managing Director/CEO.

President Tinubu advised the recently appointed officials to preserve the highest standards in the performance of their jobs, highlighting the need of openness and accountability. [CONTINUE READING HERE]