The
Federal Government Wednesday removed the Director General of the Nigeria
Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC), Mrs. Sally Mbanefo.
The DG has been asked to
handover the affairs of NTDC to the next most senior officer.
The removal of the DG was
contained in a November 27, 2016 letter which was signed by the Secretary to
the Government of the Federation, Engr. Babachir David Lawal.
The letter was titled
“Notification of de-secondment from the Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation
(NTDC).
Following the ouster of the
NTDC’s former DG, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, from the corporation, Mbanefo was
appointed by the machinations of Edem Duke, Minister of Culture, Tourism and
National Orientation; The Capital findings revealed that Duke fast-tracked
Mbanefo’s appointment because of the very cordial relationship they shared at
the period and the persistent pressure exerted on him by a mutual friend they
shared, Anyim Pius Anyim, Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
However, no sooner than Mbanefo
assumed office than she exhausted the goodwill and confidence that the Minister
reposed in her. She failed to meet set targets and she never fulfilled any of
the promises she made. Eight weeks into her appointment, Mbanefo was uncomfortably
quiet which kept the public doubting her ability to fit into her new role.
Her deceitfulness and
disloyalty torn her relationship with Duke apart. They currently don’t see eye
to eye even though they used to be very close; in the past, they travelled
together and did a lot of deals together. Mbanefo has over time been linked to
several scandals. She disgraced herself recently in Brazil when she chewed up
evidence of financial misappropriation by her; a petition was leveled against
her by AUPCTRE for gross official misconduct. The petitioners, ignoring her
desperate attempts to bribe them, seek her removal as Director-General of the
NTDC citing her fraudulent practices as reasons.
Consequently, Mbanefo was at
the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) recently in Abuja to defend
the allegations leveled against her. The EFCC is also investigating her for
diverting an undisclosed amount of money meant for the sponsorship of a
proposed Nigerian Fans’ village in Brazil. It was gathered that she asked for
the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between her and Za Entertainment, the
contractor for the project, tore it up and began to chew the paper. Her attempt
to swallow the MOU however, led to a physical struggle between her and
President of Za Entertainment, Azania Omo-Agege, who held her tightly, forcing
the papers out of her mouth.
...thecapital
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